CO2 flow rates needed

[deadvet]

Hey everybody, I am just about done with my brewery the last thing i need is a CO2 system and the gas company want to know flow and volume rates to install the right system. I have a 8.5 bbl brewhouse with 5 ferm. and 1 bbt. I am just a production brewery, kegs and bottles. 4 head meheen

steve
2nd shift brewing
new haven mo

[jwalts]

Here's a theoretical start; hopefully others can build on it with practical experience:

If you plan to carbonate inline during transfers, that'll probably be your peak CO2 load. If you assume the following:

-Final beer volume = 8.5 bbl
-Brite tank headspace is pressurized before inline carbonation
-Initial carbonation = 1.7 volumes (15 psig at 68 degf at sea level)
-Desired carbonation = 2.5 volumes

...you'll need about 830 L of CO2 at standard temperature and pressure (STP) - 273.15 K and 101325 Pa as defined by the ASBC - to carbonate the batch. You can use the ideal gas law to determine the mass/weight of CO2:

mass = pressure * volume * molar mass / (universal gas constant * temperature) = (101325 Pa) * (830 L) / (1000 L/m3) * (44.01 g/mol) / ((8.314 Pa*m3/K/mol) * (273.15 K)) / (453.59 g/lb) = 3.6 lbs

If your transfer or filter run takes 45 minutes, your required flow rate will be about 0.08 lb/min or 18.4 L/min at STP. You'll probably want to plan for slightly faster because you won't be carbonating during the entire transfer. If you carbonate in 30 minutes, your required flow rates become 0.12 lb/min and 27.7 L/min at STP.

Joe

[gdebisschop]

We found that the peak draws are not carbonating but purging and pressurizing for bottles and kegs- we run a mini king and a four head meheen. There should be multiple gas vendors where you are, have them in to talk and you'll pretty quickly find out who knows what they're talking about and who doesn't. We opted to go with a cheaper vendor who didn't have as much technical knowledge and it took a while to get things right- and bottling without the proper co2 supply sucks, and the mini king doesn't fault if it has an inadequate co2 supply (ie, air still in package), so getting the right co2 supply is really important.

cheers
geoff

[South County]

I would get set up with a 2 tank mini-bulk system. Your local gas supplier should be able to get you set right up. They can also set an exterior fill port and put you on a monthly auto fill just like your heating/oil gas company. Basically this is 2 of the larger 400# stainless cylinders hooked to a manifold with separate regulators so you can switch over when one runs out. here is an example.

http://www.polarpure.com/bev.shtml

this is the route were are going.