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Determination of proper BTU's for custom brew kettle?

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  • Determination of proper BTU's for custom brew kettle?

    Hello, I am having a custom 3 bbl copper kettle built for my little brewery.
    I'm looking for help to determine proper BTU's to supply to it. I'm coming up with about 400,000 with my 'internet math', but I would really like an experienced opinion on this.
    The brewery is at 4700' elevation. Thanks in advance!

  • #2
    Well someone can correct me, but my reasoning gave me a very different figure.

    Steam contains 1150 btu per pound, i.e. it takes 1150 btu to convert the liquid water to steam. The actual temperature at which this takes place is irrelevant

    You work out how much volume and hence weight you want to evaporate in each hour of boil

    Hence you can work out how much energy you need per hour to convert the desired volume / weight of water into steam, i.e. evaporate.

    This value will always be higher than the energy required to heat up the wort to boiling point

    So this tells you what the maximum heat input you need to get into the wort.

    Then you need to factor in the efficiency of the boiling system - say 50% (just a figure I plucked out of the air - I really don't have a clue about the efficiency you might achieve)

    As regards elevation bove sea level, from memory, your boiling point will be about 95C - I think the boiling point drops abot 1 deg C per 100 ft increase in elevation)
    dick

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    • #3
      I boil 2 bbls with a 70 k propane.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by dick murton View Post
        I think the boiling point drops abot 1 deg C per 100 ft increase in elevation)
        I meant "about 1 deg C per 1000 ft increase in elevation"
        dick

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        • #5
          Got it, dick.

          I found some other info:
          -40-65% efficiency for flame fired kettles
          -25,000-30,000 btu requirement per hour per bbl of hot cast wort.

          This seems to jive with the 70K per 2 bbl comment as well.

          Thanks!

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