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  • Glycol System material options?

    For a glycol system (10bbl brewhouse, 5 FV, 5 SV), what piping material is prefered: PVC, copper, braided hose, other?
    I'm looking to do it mostly myself and would like to hear the feedback from those who have used the above materials in the glycol system application.
    Thanks for any input
    Dave
    Glacier Brewing Company
    406-883-2595
    info@glacierbrewing.com

    "who said what now?"

  • #2
    Hi Dave,

    I've built one system from all copper and one system from nearly all PVC. I sleep better at night with the copper system, but the PVC was far cheaper and easier to build.

    I've seen fussion systems of PVC and braided hose here in the Northwest and they operate just great. However, it really depends on how many tanks, your floorspace, and budget. Copper, though almost "bulletproof", requires an art in soldering knowledge/technique that even I, having laid what seems to be miles of copper pipe, still botch up to this day. It's expensive, and requires you to get real cozy with your local plumbing distributer if you are working in larger sizes as I did........ 1.5" DIA - 2" DIA.

    PVC is MUCH easier to work with and doesn't require a nice MAPP gas torch as does copper............a chop saw and pipe primer/adhesive are really all you need. It has roughly the same line resistance to flow as copper and the system will be a fraction of the cost. However, PVC isn't very rigid, and will sag a lot after loaded with heavy glycol. Also, I always feel real squeemish about threading heavy metal fittings into plastic threads........use a lot of Rectorseal!

    Please feel free to drop me a direct E-mail for any specific questions....

    Comment


    • #3
      pvc

      Just use the plastic....with braided hose at the tank connections. Don't forget insulation!!
      Larry Horwitz

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks fellas.
        Has anyone used (or heard about) a glycol system using braided hose only?
        Glacier Brewing Company
        406-883-2595
        info@glacierbrewing.com

        "who said what now?"

        Comment


        • #5
          Glycol lines

          I second the above post- ours is all PVC, with braided hose connections at the tank. Glycol can be acidic, which I would imagine may attack copper over the years. Also, as Brian stated, just about anyone with a tape measure and a hacksaw can figure out PVC. One thing we did here is install a solenoid valve in line so if all tanks are "off", the glycol loop is restricted to a very short recirc. It does not always flow past tanks- just thru the condenser and back into the brink which saves us $ on heat losses that would occur if it were a large loop going past tanks all the time. The tanks also have solenoids, on the inlets(bottom). Come down and check it out if you have the time..........

          Paul Thomas
          Bitter Root Brewing
          Paul Thomas
          Brewer
          Sockeye Brewing
          www.sockeyebrew.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks Paul,
            I was just down there a couple of weeks ago but due to time constrants, I was unable to crawl up and down the tanks! I like the idea of a solenoid isolating a bank of tanks! What brand and model of solenoids do you like?
            Dave
            Glacier Brewing Company
            406-883-2595
            info@glacierbrewing.com

            "who said what now?"

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by pbutlert
              .......................One thing we did here is install a solenoid valve in line so if all tanks are "off", the glycol loop is restricted to a very short recirc. It does not always flow past tanks- just thru the condenser and back into the brink which saves us $ on heat losses that would occur if it were a large loop going past tanks all the time. The tanks also have solenoids, on the inlets(bottom). Come down and check it out if you have the time..........
              Paul - That sounds kind of intriguing. Is the solenoid ganged in with a contactor relay to snap when a tank calls for demand? If your circuit is short, that would most certainly save that extra jing on energy. It would just take a bit of time to cool the lines down, but short runs shouldn't be a problem for that.

              Sooooo..........with the solenoid closed, the flow is pressurizing the system ahead of the solenoid. Is there a relief valve that dumps it back to tank in this event? Or does the pump just push against it? I would think you could save more by having the process pump shut down as well, so long as you had a separate glycol tank re-circ pump and a separate process pump.


              Dave - ASCO Redhat solenoids are the bomb. I've used Goulds and fried them all. Just be sure to get the ones with zero pressure differential so they don't require a pressure load on both sides of the solenoid. You'll have a very low pressure on the return side of the solenoid, and you will fry the coils on a solenoid that requires a pressure differential.

              Comment


              • #8
                Glycol system

                The solenoids on our tanks are commercial 1" irrigation valves from Nelson. These did not come from the hardware store, we got them from a local irrigation supply. The one on our loop is a "normally open" valve, and it is a Asco red hat. We have a 100 gal insulated brink. The pump draws glycol out of the brink, into a filter, thru the condenser, and back thru the open red hat into the brink. This is always running, the circ pump never shuts off. When a tank solenoid opens, the red hat simultaneously closes, forcing glycol thru the proper tank. We have 10 tanks on three different loops, all driven by the one pump. The return lines are all ganged together and dump back into the brink, which has a temp sensor in it. It is an open loop system- the return lines are vented to the ceiling to prevent a vacuum. We ran 1 1/2" PVC, reduced to 1" braided hose into the Nelson valves(all the tanks have 1" inlet/outlets). I think that's it-hopefully that makes sense! Any questions, give us a call.......Good Luck!

                Paul Thomas
                Bitter Root Brewing
                Hamilton, MT
                Paul Thomas
                Brewer
                Sockeye Brewing
                www.sockeyebrew.com

                Comment

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