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Pressurise tank with CO2 or Air?

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  • Pressurise tank with CO2 or Air?

    Hey
    After final rinse of our pressure tanks (small 600L) I usually pressurise to about 1psi with CO2. I've always done this as it might be some days or extended time
    until we fill the tank with wort. (NB Not using the tank for transfer of finished beer etc).
    This got me thinking that I might be able to use compressed air (from oil free compressor). I believe the objective of leaving them with slight pressure is just to
    seal them and leave sanitary. Or will the use of compressed air from a compressor risk contamination too much to make the saving in CO2 worth it?
    Thanks!

  • #2
    I would not let a beer vessel sit for any length of time without sanitizing it again prior to filling. If I have to keep an empty tank, I'll wash it and acid rinse it then leave it open to dry. A quick sanitizing rinse before filling is all that's required to be safe. I don't know why you wouldn't sanitize immediately before filling. You are certainly not saving any time by pressurizing empty tanks.
    Phillip Kelm--Palau Brewing Company Manager--

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    • #3
      Normally we don't need to fill CO2 or compressed air after finish cleaning the tanks. If you use the tank to finish serving the beer for long time, we can fill water into the tank for 2 -3 days, and then cleaning, it is more easier to finalize the sterilization process. If the wort into fermentation tank 2 - 3 days after finish tanks cleaning, we don't need to sterilize further. But if you use the tank for 7 days or more after, we need to sterilize the tanks in case any contamination. So it is not necessary to fill CO2. And if we use oil-free compressor, you don't have to worry about contamination. It also is OK to have some sterile air before wort into fermentation, it is good for yeast activity, this is the only place where we don't need to avoid oxygen.

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      • #4
        You have to sanitized inside 24 hours before transfering wort. Once sanitized, you keep your fermenter sealed. Co2 is doing nothing execpt wasting money.

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        • #5
          Dear Alain,

          generally I recommend to clean the tank and sanitize it when using the tank within the next 12 hours. If not I would clean and close it up and sanitize prior to next use.
          In between I would put a slight overpressure (preferred CO2) on the tank. The reason is, when the tank cools down it will pull in air and this will contaminate your tank. The slight overpressure will ensure that no air gets pulled into the tank. I am aware of CO2 is expensive but it is safer than compressed air. In addition I would always add as close as possible a sterile filter to the point of injection. There is always a possibility of contamination with gases injected into your process.
          Zee Loeffler
          888-484-6248 (US & Canada only)
          www.loefflerchemical.com
          Oliver.meinhold@vincitgroup.com

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