flushing technique

[india_cmb]

Was wondering if anybody uses tanks for multiple purposes,
i.e. using a unitank to store sparge water or a bbt for mash-in water
from a previous batch's heat exchange?

My question is that...these buffer tanks (unis or bbts) usually have
glycol flowing through jackets and I was wondering what effective
techniques/experiences/suggestions could anyone offer to drain and
flush the jackets before being used for hot temperature service?

The other question which would follow is when to open valves and allow
the vessels to accept 38 deg beer or 66 deg wort?

thanks and cheers!
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[brewbonghm]

I highly recommend using primary fermenters as a storage for HL. Generally you would start your day by transferring sparge water into a primary, taking into account just how much T loss you will have verses how much t. This has benefits which are multifold; The first being that a minimum 2.5 hrs residence t at 170, will obviate the need for any chemical sanitizers. The big trick about not over taxing your glycol unit is to pass heated glycol back into the system very slowly, or allow the wort entering the tank to temper it and then turn on the glycol. Most tanks for fermentation/storage are not designed to tolerate an instant boil to freeze, the stress on the steel will become evident very quickly. I have even used cc vessels as a whirlpool tank with the use of a DME rotating racking arm. Multi-use is the way to go if you have the open tankage to do it, generally fermenters in a 1:1 environment are the most reliable for process consistency.

[Sulfur]

I think it depends on the sizes involved. I'm a big fan of using hot water to sanitize piping and armatures, but filling a whole tank requires a lot of water, at least in breweries over 10bbl. It also depends I would think on the logistics of the brewery, time involved and general routine.

[brewbonghm]

To clarify;
You need not fill the whole tank, just the equivalent volume of sparge water. Run it through your spray ball, usually at about 180, this heats the exposed surfaces and at that T, the amount of dissolved O2 is low, if you have hot-side concerns.

[india_cmb]

glycol

my concern was really with the construction of the tank being compromised by fluctuations of vastly different operating service temperatures, esp true for smaller vessels.

was also concerned about possibly building up pressure by evaporating residual glycol in the system.

also wondering if anyone has developed any unique process techniques that were energy efficient, mult-purpose, and easy to standardize to a SOP.
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