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  • Propane?

    This might just be a lack of me digging around, but are there propane powered glycol systems out there? I dont have a lot of electrical power to work with and if implemented I would need an alterative. A propane powered fridge external to my location would be pretty sweet too.

  • #2
    Why not use the propane to run a generator. Now your porblem is the expense of the gernerator and electrical distribution.

    How large a system are you talking about?

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    • #3
      I have to agree with Scott, there are propane driven systems but they are costly and I believe they require annual tear down/rebuild. What size system are you looking at?

      Best regards,

      Jim
      Pro Refrigeration Inc

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      • #4
        How Big?

        Small. Im a Nano.

        Im reading this as for all intents and my purposes no. I would work to get more electrical to my space if it came to getting propane and a generator to run something. Doesnt seem like a good solution. Pretty sure generators arent intended to run all the time.

        Just added a tankless hot water heater thats propane based and based on my layout the propane makes it a really nice addition.

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        • #5
          I would wire my T-stats to bring on the generator at least 5 minutes before the chiller hits the line. Just like the chiller compressor, the gen set would run part time. Also good for standby power. Power failure doesn't ruin your beer in fermentation. A 100KW machine should be large enough, but it would cost $23,000! http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect....tor/p5985.html or this smaller unit for < $8K http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect....tor/p4925.html

          If you are a do it yourself type, you could build a glycol chiller out of this http://www.bensdiscountsupply.com/EZ...s-freezer.aspx for $2K, just add a pump and thermal controls.

          What would it cost to bring in electrical services that would provide enough power for your needs? I take it your boiler or brew kettle is propane also.

          I could be of more help if I knew what your were working with with respect to heat load, or even FV capacities.
          Last edited by Scott M; 01-05-2011, 06:45 PM.

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          • #6
            Propane Chiller

            I ran an absorption chiller briefly. It's an Ammonia Bromide type chiller... Same priniciple as a fridge in a travel travel trailer.

            Even thought it was a 5 ton unit, I had a very difficult time getting it to pull down below 40 F under the lightest of loads.

            These types of chillers are expensive to buy, operate, ad maintain. They are better suited to air conditioning than process cooling.

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            • #7
              Absorption Chillers

              I ran one of the HVACR Shop for Texas A&M for about 7 years.
              We had 8 Lithium Bromide absorbers which are designed for AC duty on the chilled water side. There may be some which can be bought for running glycol at colder setpoints. Ammonia absorbers work on the same principle but with Ammonia instead of Bromide.
              The absorbers we had were made by Yazaki and Kawasaki-Trane.
              They are a high maintenance affair and expensive to repair when things go wrong. They require regular, almost annual injections of an inhibitor which costs about $500.00 a shot. They must be kept in a deep vacuum to they invariably leak. The control side of the Yazaki machines was highly and unnecessarily complicated. While there may be some out there that can be made to work, I find them to be snake oil on a good day and I have been working with HVACR for 25 years.

              Sincerely

              Star Cat
              Warren Turner
              Industrial Engineering Technician
              HVACR-Electrical Systems Specialist
              Moab Brewery
              The Thought Police are Attempting to Suppress Free Speech and Sugar coat everything. This is both Cowardice and Treason given to their own kind.

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