Length and Size vs Speed and Flow?

[WishboneBrewery]

If you use a 10-15 meter coil to make wither a Counterflow cooler(CFC) or a Immersion cooler(IC)....
In the case of the CFC, could you slow down the flow of Hot Wort and speed up the flow of cooling water and thus reduce the length of your copper coil?
I'm just in the making of something that I think will speed up my Boil-to-Pitching temperature time even if it doesn't entirely chill things down, mainly as an interim measure to either buying or making an IC, but also as a bit of an experiment...

[onelegout]

That looks very nifty, however an immersion cooler would probably cool things a lot quicker wouldn't it?
- H

[WishboneBrewery]

I have no doubt you are right but it does look nifty

[Jim]

What I want to know is what exactly those end fittings are (with two 8 or 10mm outlets and one 15mm) and where did you get them!

[WishboneBrewery]

The unequal T's are 15x15x22mm from B&Q
The Spiral bit it a bendy tap connector also from B&Q
The Pipe is 22mm and there are a couple of 15mm bits in there too
...the other fittings are from Screwfix and just standard 15mm connectors.

I intend to restrict the flow of the 15mm down to 8 or 10 at the out-end.

[bramswell]

It looks like it would work well but i think the wort flow would have to be extreamly slow for it to cool the wort sufficiently, probably why cfc's are about 15m long.
Give it a try and post your results, maybe you have stumbled on something that could change home brewing, get a patent...

[WishboneBrewery]

Pretty doubtful... maybe I'll get it soldered up this weekend, I just need to get one of those 'fits loads of taps, clamp-fit' things and some hose.

[WishboneBrewery]

**Update**
I got round to soldering it up today, added a 15mm compression nut to attach to boiler and a 15-8mm reducer to restrict the flow.

I've ordered some bits, garden hose, Tap connector and hose quick releases, though its going to be a week or more before I get to test it!

[Jim]

I'll be waiting with interest!

I find that with my long CFC the cooling water has to be turned down to a trickle (especially in the winter) otherwise it over-chills. Maybe a shorter one is the way forward (although maybe not as short as your prototype - we'll see! ).

[trucker5774]

I will be doing some AG in a couple of weeks time. I also have a design for a counterflow cooler (just need to source the materials) the principle is the same as shown but more efficient. Picture a normal immersion cooler in situ in the boiler full of wort. Now swap the water and wort so that the wort is in the coil and the cooling water in the vessel. Now scale the whole thing down and you have a rough idea of what I'm doing. I will test a few sizes and flow rates then post the results, design (and patent number!)

[WishboneBrewery]

Slight update, I'm ready to go... Brewday this week while we're off work.

[Jaz_Allen]

I look forward to hearing your report, was there any particular reason you used the bendy tap connector instead of straight 15mm pipe?

[bramswell]

my guess would be it has more surface area

[WishboneBrewery]

was there any particular reason you used the bendy tap connector instead of straight 15mm pipe?

my guess would be it has more surface area

Yep... and the curves and ribs inside and out should swirl the wort and the cooling water which should help cooling.
Apparently its almost exactly the design of a piece of Chemistry equipment - Allihn condenser - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condenser_(laboratory)

[GARYSMIFF]

When you posted this on the POST A PICTURE viewtopic.php?f=24&t=24276&p=269546#p269546

I did not realise it had some bendy inside, I bet that helps,I see in some American post they spiral rap wire around the outer of the inner pipe to create some turbulance to help the chill and no reason why you could not make them in series, build another and just bolt them on (solder Compression, Jub Clip blah blah)