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Water use


3d0g

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I've done the EQR calcs for my water / sewer use based on my planned processes but I'd love a quick reality check from some of you guys in operation. 

What's your avg water usage per month? How many mashes (and size) per week? Recirc or dump process cooling water?

Cheers!

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at my last distillery we went through approx 60K gallons a month. 500 gal batches 5 times a week. All process cooling water was dumped after use. Lucky for us we were on a shared water meter with several other companies so we didnt have to directly foot the bill for all the dumped water.

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3 hours ago, Huffy2k said:

Hey 3d0g, we typically do 3 to 4 mashes per week.  We use about 200 gallons of water per mash.  We have a closed loop cooling system with a 500 gallon reservoir.

What was your monthly water consumption at the meter Huffy2k?

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2 hours ago, captnKB said:

at my last distillery we went through approx 60K gallons a month. 500 gal batches 5 times a week. All process cooling water was dumped after use. Lucky for us we were on a shared water meter with several other companies so we didnt have to directly foot the bill for all the dumped water.

Thanks captnKB. This definitely throws my calcs into question. I was thinking 10 to 15:1 (water gal per produced product gal). Backing out process cooling, you're closer to 18:1.

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This water was based on corn whiskey production on a vendome still and cooker. Still condensor ran all day at around 1.5gpm. Cooker cooling ran at near 45gpm. Again all process cooling water was dumped. It was a very energy ineffiecent operation, but the water was damn near free.

Glad to help you out 3d0g 

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I am looking into an area that has well water... any considerations with that I should expect?

For me, by my calculations, I could essentially get away with several hundred gallons per month. 4 x 330 gallon fermenters and still be within my expected production cap. 100 gallon still 3 runs per fermenter approx 18 gallons finished product per run. I will also be using a reservoir for cooling water. For me the major cost was heating the water prior to mashing. Either electric heaters in series or all day hearing on a big mash tun. I am proposing to the engineer now that we build a furnace for the propane fired still, and add a flue out for the heat to escape. This flue will have either a heat exchanger or a copper coil wrapped around it (numbers still computing) to achieve a comfortable 165°-170° hot water source for mashing while we perform a run. Mash in the grain, and cold water to decrease temp and finish the process. Should be pretty efficient.

Edited by Fqu8847
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