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I’ve need a heat exchanger for my 3 barrel brewhouse.
Ideally, I’d go with unit that has 1/1.5” tri-clover fittings with plates that I could break down to inspect periodically; unfortunately, those are out of my price range, and I haven’t seen anything on the used market. I also considered using a couple of Blichmann/larger homebrew heat exchangers in line, but I feel like I’d be looking at knockout times well over 1.5 hours.
Recently, I found Duda Diesel. They make a heat exchanger that can chill 3 barrels in 45 minutes, and the price is incredible. The only drawback is the wort fittings–my choices are either a threaded port that I can screw a 1/1.5” tri-clover fitting into, or a welded ¾” tri-clover fitting.
I’m hesitant going with the threaded port for sanitation reasons. Granted, I could unscrew the wort fittings after each use, so it’s not the biggest hassle, but still a concern.
Welded ¾” tri-clover fittings would eliminate the sanitation risk that a threaded port poses, but ¾” fittings seem like a pain to work with, considering my other fittings are 1/1.5”. I’d need to go from the kettle to a filter with 1.5” tri-clover fittings, down to the ¾” wort in, then from the ¾” wort out to a 1.5” tri-clover fitting on my oxygenation setup. Again, not the biggest problem, but I’m sure there are sanitary reducers and multiple pieces involved that would make the setup time-consuming/a pain to set up and maintain.
Given the two wort-out fitting options, which makes the most sense? Is there another option all together that I’m overlooking?
Ideally, I’d go with unit that has 1/1.5” tri-clover fittings with plates that I could break down to inspect periodically; unfortunately, those are out of my price range, and I haven’t seen anything on the used market. I also considered using a couple of Blichmann/larger homebrew heat exchangers in line, but I feel like I’d be looking at knockout times well over 1.5 hours.
Recently, I found Duda Diesel. They make a heat exchanger that can chill 3 barrels in 45 minutes, and the price is incredible. The only drawback is the wort fittings–my choices are either a threaded port that I can screw a 1/1.5” tri-clover fitting into, or a welded ¾” tri-clover fitting.
I’m hesitant going with the threaded port for sanitation reasons. Granted, I could unscrew the wort fittings after each use, so it’s not the biggest hassle, but still a concern.
Welded ¾” tri-clover fittings would eliminate the sanitation risk that a threaded port poses, but ¾” fittings seem like a pain to work with, considering my other fittings are 1/1.5”. I’d need to go from the kettle to a filter with 1.5” tri-clover fittings, down to the ¾” wort in, then from the ¾” wort out to a 1.5” tri-clover fitting on my oxygenation setup. Again, not the biggest problem, but I’m sure there are sanitary reducers and multiple pieces involved that would make the setup time-consuming/a pain to set up and maintain.
Given the two wort-out fitting options, which makes the most sense? Is there another option all together that I’m overlooking?