Mash Tun Level Gauge / Pressure Gauge

[IcarusBrewing]

Trying to find ways to boost efficiency around the brewhouse and was looking into waste in the Mash/Lauter tun from excess water/sugars left behind (15 bbl combi Mash/Lauter Tun). When I designed the tank we left a triclamp port immediately below the False Bottom and another one immediately above the false bottom so I could eventually use it for a differential pressure/level gauge. What I don't have is additional triclamp ports up high on the tank to close off a level gauge with. Would a open gauge work for something like this https://www.glaciertanks.com/tank-si...bes-slv-2.html. Or is there a better way to accomplish knowing the differential pressure/level that I'm not thinking of?

[rdcpro]

Or is there a better way to accomplish knowing the differential pressure/level that I'm not thinking of?

I think I'd try it out first with two hoses, one on each port, behind a valve, running up above the vessel. Compare the difference in height to make sure it's reasonable. If this is useful, then purchase/fabricate an open sight glass, or just continue to use the hose.

An open sight glass might be difficult to CIP, so you can buy two sanitary pressure transmitters, and assuming you can find them with a low enough range (these are almost manometers), you can read the difference between them with a process indicator or a controller if you want to control, say, lauter rate based on the D/P. It might be a tricky system to control, though, due to the potential lag time. And costly.

Regards,
Mike Sharp

[wailingguitar]

I have had mash tuns with manometers/sight glasses on them... all they amounted to was something else to clean.

[TGTimm]

We use the system Mike describes above. CIP consists of replacing the cheap vinyl tubing when it get dirty. We had rigid sight glasses for the manometers for years, and they just got broken.