When we got our 10bbl brewhouse, we had a pre-chiller installed in lieu of a CLT. Specifically this model: http://www.brazetek.com/products/det...xchanger-1-1/4
It was set up to counterflow glycol against our filtered cooling water. It works great during the cold months, but our groundwater gets warm (70Fish) during the warmer months. During winter I could KO in 25-30 minutes, but last summer and so far since the weather has warmed this year, KO is more like 50-55 minutes. Not a big deal on single brew days, but it stacks up on double brews. SO, we decided to add a second pre-chiller into the mix.
Talking to the manufacturer of our system (I will leave their name out of this, but just say they are well known and respected), as well as the plumber who did the installation, it was decided we could hook the 2nd pre-chiller up to run with the water IN SERIES, but the glycol PARALLEL. The idea was that I could cut off glycol to the 1st chiller during the cold months, but have it on when it was warm to bolster cooling.
The glycol comes off the solenoid, hits a T with lines feeding each chiller. Each of these lines has a ball valve to cutoff or restrict flow. The glycol out of each chiller returns to a T and back into the loop. There is also a single ball valve on the return. Once again, I will say both the brewhouse manufacturer and the plumber believed this would work.... It didn't...
I am getting only marginally better cooling, at best, with this installed. Basically a difference of the VFD on the brewhouse pump at 24 instead of 22.5 for the same outflow temp... as opposed to being able to run it at 35-38 during cold months.
Am I going to need to alter the plumbing and run the glycol in series as well? What then about cold months when the ground water is already cool? Would I be able to maybe throttle back the glycol inflow to avoid having the water too cold?
Any thoughts would be most appreciated, I am going crazy here
It was set up to counterflow glycol against our filtered cooling water. It works great during the cold months, but our groundwater gets warm (70Fish) during the warmer months. During winter I could KO in 25-30 minutes, but last summer and so far since the weather has warmed this year, KO is more like 50-55 minutes. Not a big deal on single brew days, but it stacks up on double brews. SO, we decided to add a second pre-chiller into the mix.
Talking to the manufacturer of our system (I will leave their name out of this, but just say they are well known and respected), as well as the plumber who did the installation, it was decided we could hook the 2nd pre-chiller up to run with the water IN SERIES, but the glycol PARALLEL. The idea was that I could cut off glycol to the 1st chiller during the cold months, but have it on when it was warm to bolster cooling.
The glycol comes off the solenoid, hits a T with lines feeding each chiller. Each of these lines has a ball valve to cutoff or restrict flow. The glycol out of each chiller returns to a T and back into the loop. There is also a single ball valve on the return. Once again, I will say both the brewhouse manufacturer and the plumber believed this would work.... It didn't...
I am getting only marginally better cooling, at best, with this installed. Basically a difference of the VFD on the brewhouse pump at 24 instead of 22.5 for the same outflow temp... as opposed to being able to run it at 35-38 during cold months.
Am I going to need to alter the plumbing and run the glycol in series as well? What then about cold months when the ground water is already cool? Would I be able to maybe throttle back the glycol inflow to avoid having the water too cold?
Any thoughts would be most appreciated, I am going crazy here
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