I'm setting up a brewery in Guatemala and one of the last puzzle pieces is the steam boiler. I've worked on all direct fire up to this point so steam is a whole new deal for me and the investors. I've read everything I can find here and across the web on the subject and we found a used boiler at a great price here in the country (huge bonus!) but hope to get some "voices of experience" before we plop down the dinero. Any help you all can provide would be huge!
So the details - 15bbl brewhouse, kettle jacketed for high pressure steam, 30bbl HLT also jacketed for high pressure. I'll have mobile CIP carts with electric heating elements and no plans to use for keg cleaning or pasteurization so not much need for steam except brewing to start. All equipment is coming from China and information has been a little tough (lost in translation?) but they are telling me around 500,000 btu/hr for the kettle boil but haven't given me much to work with in terms of the HLT nor steam load for both working simultaneously. I won't be double batching to start but sure hope to be within a year! (5) 30bbl FV.
And now for the boiler - 25HP, 830,000 btu/hr, 860 lbs/hr of steam. Runs on diesel which is great for us (biodiesel readily available). Working pressure 125psi. Less that 10 years old but fully reconditioned by the manufacturer/seller. There is no blowdown tank, it is bottom blowdown and the manufacturer said just open the bottom valve a couple times a day for quick blowdowns (sounds a little scary to me?!). They also said that no condensate pumps are typically needed as the pressure pushes all the condensate back (once again I'm new to this so...what do I know,.... but I thought we'd need a pump).
How does this all sound? We want to pull the trigger before it disappears but any advice would be super helpful.
The ProBrewer community has taught me sooo much over the years, I really can't thank you all enough for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience!!
So the details - 15bbl brewhouse, kettle jacketed for high pressure steam, 30bbl HLT also jacketed for high pressure. I'll have mobile CIP carts with electric heating elements and no plans to use for keg cleaning or pasteurization so not much need for steam except brewing to start. All equipment is coming from China and information has been a little tough (lost in translation?) but they are telling me around 500,000 btu/hr for the kettle boil but haven't given me much to work with in terms of the HLT nor steam load for both working simultaneously. I won't be double batching to start but sure hope to be within a year! (5) 30bbl FV.
And now for the boiler - 25HP, 830,000 btu/hr, 860 lbs/hr of steam. Runs on diesel which is great for us (biodiesel readily available). Working pressure 125psi. Less that 10 years old but fully reconditioned by the manufacturer/seller. There is no blowdown tank, it is bottom blowdown and the manufacturer said just open the bottom valve a couple times a day for quick blowdowns (sounds a little scary to me?!). They also said that no condensate pumps are typically needed as the pressure pushes all the condensate back (once again I'm new to this so...what do I know,.... but I thought we'd need a pump).
How does this all sound? We want to pull the trigger before it disappears but any advice would be super helpful.
The ProBrewer community has taught me sooo much over the years, I really can't thank you all enough for taking the time to share your knowledge and experience!!
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