best way to plumb a brite tank?

[lhall]

We have two different brite tanks. One is a Newlands 40 bbl with a side jacket and a bottom jacket. It is labelled to have the glycol inlet come in at the highest point of the jacket, and leave out of the bottom. We also have an 80 bbl Mueller tank, with the same jacket design, but it is labelled to have the glycol enter the jacket at the bottom and leave at the top.

We can't get the Newlands tank colder than 40 F with 28 F glycol inlet. But the Mueller will get down to 35 F. Same pressure, piping diameter, etc. I'm going to try to reverse the plumbing on the Newlands tank to see if it makes any difference. Has anyone else run into this problem?

[HinduKush]

We have two different brite tanks. One is a Newlands 40 bbl with a side jacket and a bottom jacket. It is labelled to have the glycol inlet come in at the highest point of the jacket, and leave out of the bottom. We also have an 80 bbl Mueller tank, with the same jacket design, but it is labelled to have the glycol enter the jacket at the bottom and leave at the top.

We can't get the Newlands tank colder than 40 F with 28 F glycol inlet. But the Mueller will get down to 35 F. Same pressure, piping diameter, etc. I'm going to try to reverse the plumbing on the Newlands tank to see if it makes any difference. Has anyone else run into this problem?

Cold in bottom, hot out the top. Heat rises and encourages natural convection, right?

[liammckenna]

With a dimpled cooling jacket, you must enter at the bottom and exit the top.

This ensures complete filling of the jacket with liquid and the best possible heat exchange. Also prevents airlocks in the jacket restricting flow.

Completely the reverse for steam in a kettle jacket where you're trying to fill the jacket with vapour (steam), not liquid.

Pax.

Liam

[lhall]

Well, the thing I remember from fluid dynamics was something about water (and beer) changing density at 4 C, so that the colder beer would actually rise. But I'm going to change it around and see what happens.

[gitchegumee]

Linus, water is densest at 4C. It sinks. Liam's got it right. IN at the bottom. OUT at the top.

[HinduKush]

Linus, water is densest at 4C. It sinks. Liam's got it right. IN at the bottom. OUT at the top.

Yes, Liam got it right as well.

[kramling]

You guys see any problem with splitting the supply to both inlets and combining the outlets after leaving the jackets? Still coming in the bottom and going out the top for each jacket but running two jackets in parallel rather than in series. I have ball valves on the outlets to control the flow rate or to isolate a jacket. The theory being you cool both parts of the tank equally rather than the bottom first then top of the tank second.

Cheers,
Steve

[HinduKush]

You guys see any problem with splitting the supply to both inlets and combining the outlets after leaving the jackets? Still coming in the bottom and going out the top for each jacket but running two jackets in parallel rather than in series. I have ball valves on the outlets to control the flow rate or to isolate a jacket. The theory being you cool both parts of the tank equally rather than the bottom first then top of the tank second.

Cheers,
Steve

Should work okay. The worst install I've seen was cold in on the bottom jacket, hot out the top of the bottom jacket then directly into the inlet on the next higher jacket. Makes for cheap install and lousy cooling. I would recommend putting the ball valve on the inflow side of the jacket as well. You want the ability to take a jacket and tank out of service without shutting down your whole system.

[South County]

ditto

Ditto on "in bottom to top", larger tanks should have division baffles (think mouse maze) that forces the glycol to travel around the whole tank and out. Keeps stratification to a min.

[gitchegumee]

Always parallel, never series. Go with more flow of cooler glycol. Use isolation valves as HinduKush recommends, but both on the inlet before the solenoid valve, and after the jacket as well. Unions, too. Also, put an air eliminator on the high point of the system to purge air from the system (unless you have an open tank at the high point).

[strandbrewing]

Cone vs. Side jacket balancing

How are you guys balancing the flow between cone and side jackets? The best I can think of is a gate valve on the cone outlet to restrict flow. (ball valves are too touchy when using to restrict flow)

Or is this even a concern?

[gitchegumee]

Never been a concern of mine. The temperature difference across the jackets (in to out) should be small when cool. So the same temperature glycol in any jacket. Don't see a need for this balance valve unless you want your cone cooler than the rest of your tank. I like the KISS principle. Less equipment to mess with. The only time I've ever installed extra valves is on some 60 bbl fermenters to bypass the solenoid valves for quick crashes. Good luck!