Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Yeast slurry removal question

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Yeast slurry removal question

    When we dump yeast, we have to waste a lot of water to get it down the drain. Our sewer bill is based on our water usage, so we'd like to get it down to a minimum.

    We have an underground settling/mixing tank not too far from the ferm hall. The boss wants me to build a pipeline to carry the yeast slurry directly to the settling tank. The problem is, the line would have to go over an 8' high door to get there. This would mean lifting the yeast about 6' above the bottom of the ferms, preferably using CO2 pressure. With the ferm pressure limited to 15 psi, do you all think this is plausible, using 2" pipe, about 20 feet in length, with 3 90* elbows?

    Anyone tried something like this?
    Timm Turrentine

    Brewerywright,
    Terminal Gravity Brewing,
    Enterprise. Oregon.

  • #2
    i dunno, that seems crazy. unless you have a very wet slurry, i'd think you'd get big chunks sticking to the pipe interior in places. you'd have to rinse it well to avoid turning into a stinky sour bacterial infection reservoir. plus high pressure to get the slurry moving in the first place. maybe im being pessimistic but i'd think this could easily become a nightmare. and still use alot of water.

    why not just dump into a blue drum or plastic bin on wheels? quick rinse with the hose after you dump it and you're done.

    or get the boss man to spring for a bad ass peristaltic pump that can suck up the slurry? throw in a 100' roll of vinyl tubing and let compressed air do the work.




    by the way- did you guys have a glycol unit you were going to get rid of recently? cant remember if it was you guys or another oregon brewery.

    Comment


    • #3
      I agree with the comments above. Seems a bit crazy and unnecessary.

      We do like suggested and just bin the yeast in a can. Then the yeast gets thrown on the spent grain that goes out for feed. Cuts down on the water and the effluent.

      Pumping yeast through a long pipe and over a doorway seems like a big headache. I am sure something will get clogged at some point, and I would also be worried about the nasty growth if you didn't flush it periodically anyways, thereby using all that water you saved.

      Comment


      • #4
        The local farm that takes our grain does not want that yeast in because they worry about bloat on there animals. I did dump it in the grain bin several years ago at another brewery and the farmer told me the animals barely ate any of it. So you might want to experiment with that before you do it
        Mike Eme
        Brewmaster

        Comment


        • #5
          Thanks for the input, folks.

          I'm very skeptical of the idea myself, but not knowing the viscosity of our slurry, which I also suspect has some non-Newtonian properties, makes it difficult to come up with a strong argument against the idea.

          Our rancher who takes the spent grain does not want yeast. It would be great for composting if there were anyone around who was interested--which there ain't.

          I like the idea of a peristaltic pump for this, but it would need to be at least 3/4", pref. 1". All I can find are dosing pumps. Any suggestions?
          Last edited by TGTimm; 09-28-2017, 11:11 AM.
          Timm Turrentine

          Brewerywright,
          Terminal Gravity Brewing,
          Enterprise. Oregon.

          Comment


          • #6
            Can't help with sourcing a pump obviously (being in the UK) but peristaltic work well with yeast slurries. We used to provide yeas as animal feed after treating with formic acid - this was years ago, so I have got no details of dose rate per kg yeast, but apparently the pigs loved it, and didn't explode, and were kept fairly docile by the inevitable entrained alcohol - slightly inebriated pigs = docile pigs!
            dick

            Comment


            • #7
              We put it in our solid waste bin - if our local water authority found us putting yeast in the water supply we'd be fined out of existence.


              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

              Comment


              • #8
                my bad. i meant to say diaphragm pump. same basic mechanics as a peristaltic- compress-release-compress-release. the few times ive used one they're self priming, maybe they all are?

                you can buy a cheap one for couple hundred bucks if you're just gonna use it for waste. although a nice sanitary stainless one would be pretty sweet.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by beerguy1 View Post
                  The local farm that takes our grain does not want that yeast in because they worry about bloat on there animals. I did dump it in the grain bin several years ago at another brewery and the farmer told me the animals barely ate any of it. So you might want to experiment with that before you do it
                  I find this quite interesting since I have never had a farmer who said their animals have become bloated from the live yeast we add to the grains. They also said that the animals eat it right up. All three told me they mix it in with the grains (as we poured it on top) so that could be a factor. Hops the animals tended to be more averse to, and Rauchbier grains would get eaten around until the other was gone. One also told me that feeding the smoked grains made a difference in pork flavor (a negative one) if done in the last two weeks before butcher. He would feed it to the new pigs, cows or chickens.

                  It is my understanding that the animal (and human) bloating caused by yeast is from Candida strains, and that live (or dead) brewers yeast (S. cerevisiae) is actually beneficial to many animals. It has been done for many, many years. Obviously our yeast contains many micro nutrients.

                  I have read about specific benefits to Equine, Porcine and Ruminants. Supposedly it can help prevent colic, diarrhoea, and acidosis respectively. I know there are a significantly growing number of data reports out there on the subject, but I wouldn't blame any farmer for being cautious. Allaboutffeed.net is a decent resource if anyone is a farmer also.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Unferm--You want to come out here and convince some 4th generation ranchers that live brewer's yeast is good for their animals?

                    I just hate seeing all that good protein going down the drain... 'though our local sewage treatment plant loves it.
                    Timm Turrentine

                    Brewerywright,
                    Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                    Enterprise. Oregon.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
                      [...]

                      I like the idea of a peristaltic pump for this, but it would need to be at least 3/4", pref. 1". All I can find are dosing pumps. Any suggestions?
                      I've used diaphragm pumps to pump stuff as thick as lime slurry, which is almost like liquid concrete. No need for peristaltic, as a diaphragm pump can do this job, and at a much higher pressure and lower flow, if necessary. I also mentioned this on your pump thread.

                      Regards,
                      Mike Sharp

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
                        Unferm--You want to come out here and convince some 4th generation ranchers that live brewer's yeast is good for their animals?

                        I just hate seeing all that good protein going down the drain... 'though our local sewage treatment plant loves it.
                        No need to get defensive. Like I said, I wouldn't blame any one for being cautious. I can't help a farmer who isn't open to scientific reason. In fact I even quoted a source of information to look into, if they so desire. Many will only do what they "know".

                        Otherwise, I am positive there are ranchers that are more than 4 generations deep that have done this successfully. Like two of the three I have used in two different states. One was even smart enough to run analysis on the crude protein and fat content of spent grain before feeding it to his animals. I'd be willing to bet most don't care to get that involved in what they are picking up, the already "know", having heard from some other guy.

                        I've met quite a few farmers/ranchers that are not only full of it, but covered in it as well.

                        Just looking to make people think and research instead of regurgitating information with no scientific data. Worries (about many things) can often be overcome by knowledge. I haven't had to convince any of the ranchers, I simply asked if they wanted it or not, and they convinced themselves by looking into the data - which was not supplied by me at all, but merely mentioned as an option. As I said, none have complained or had any bloating issues, but I am sure I would have heard about it if they did. Personally, I really don't care whether it goes down the drain, in the bin, or out for feed.

                        Sounds like your ranchers are not even open to the conversation. No worries, go with your pump and pipe. I will be interested to hear if it works well for you, or ends up being more work than using a simple "dirty" brink and pushing it into your settling tank. Personally I would rather spend that money on a DO meter or something.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Sorry if that came across wrong, Unferm. I can be a bit short towards the end of the day.

                          Yeah, ranchers and farmers can be a little close-minded at times. Some of he locals here are very well educated and aware, others just spout the same ol' BS their fathers told them (leaving a car battery on a concrete floor will "draw the charge", etc).

                          We had difficulty finding someone to take our spent grain initially. The local word was that it was useless for feedstock. Now we have a regular who takes it (and gives us beef in return), and get inquiries about selling it on a regular basis--sometimes from one of the same persons who turned it down before.

                          I'll talk with some of the more liberal-minded folks around here--if someone wants the yeast, then it would be worth collecting.

                          I would rather have a better DO meter, too. Much better use of money, IMHO.
                          Timm Turrentine

                          Brewerywright,
                          Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                          Enterprise. Oregon.

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X