Tank modification for carbonating beer

[Polstar791]

Good evening,

I would like some advice about my fermenters/brite tanks that I have bought for my microbrewey that I'm setting up on our family farm.

I have a 1000 litre/6bbl brewing system and 5 fermenter/brite tanks that hold 800 litres/5bbl. They can each work under a pressure of 30 PSI. The problem is that they only have 2 ports. one port at the botton of the cone and another slightly higher up which would be the racking port. I have attached photos.

Ideally I'd like to force carbonate with a stone, but I don't have anywhere to put it. Which would be the better option:

1) Get a stainless steel fabricator to weld a port on for the carbonation stone
2) Do a longer forced carbontation using just head pressure given that the tanks can take reasonable pressure and I can therefore avoid any modifications

The microbrewery is only a side venture at the moment so quick turnaround isn't a necessity. More important is consistentency, control and quality. The tanks were very cheap hence why they don't currently match up to requirements!

Any thoughts on what you would be do in my situation would be much appreciated.

[Weehe]

Adding a carb stone port would be the best bet. But how do you expect to control fermenting temp? That tracking port looks really small, will take a day to drain/transfer. Hope you got them for free.

[dick murton]

Were these the ones from Doncaster (T&Vs)? Looks like you need to do a fair bit of work on these - sprayball fitting, cooling jackets, ideally insulation, temperature probe and yes, a carb stone fitting (i.e. removable carbstone) and pressure gauge if you want to carbonate by gas injection. First tanks I've seen with a cone on the dish bottom since I insisted on some for new bright beer tanks at a major brewery. If those ridges are internal as well, you will have to be very careful about cleaning them as there are likely to be blind spot rings under every ridge.

[Polstar791]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies some very constructive comments.

The bottom line is that they would need a carbonation stone and many other modifications if we're to use them! I'll speak to the stainless steel fabricator that we use and give him our wish list!

Appreciate the input.

Al

[gitchegumee]

Those tanks are only good to 30psi if they have an ASME UV stamp that says so, AND all modifications made under the same ASME program. Not likely. Another option you have (once you solve the other problems like cooling) is to create a loop out of the side port, through a tee with carbonation stone & sight glass, through a pump with VFD, and then back into your tank through the bottom. It's not ideal as you will get some oxygen pickup, but it is fast and accurate carbonation if you serve it fast enough and have good equipment. It also keeps your required pressure under the legal limit of 15 psi. Best of luck!

[vinaykumar27]

Modifying tanks is generally not recommended (code violatons). Inline carbonation is really not complicated or expensive (QuantiPerm's xFlowCO2 systems). In your situation, you can carbonate the beer precisely as you transfer/fill the tank. If you are fermenting in the same tank, then you can recirculate the product back into the same tank through the xFlow. The system will infuse just the right amount of CO2 and shut down automatically. You can even carbonate and send the product directly to packaging and eliminate a lot of tankage with some versions of xFlow systems.

https://quantiperm.com/quantiperm-products/carbonation-frementation-brewing/