MG Thermal Consulting

Devin, If you wish, contact me either by email or phone and I'd be happy to size one out after I ask a few more questions.

The more efficient the heat exchanger, the more cooling you require, which is why I specify some kind of reservoir for everything except cooling with city water- but then this is so expensive, I specify a reservoir for that too, and for well water applications- hardly anyone has enough well capacity to run everything, too often the wells run dry. That way you can use a much smaller chiller.

Tube in tube for whiskey, plate and frame for worts like vodka and rum are the least expensive and work best.

When you strip faster, you need more cooling capacity (if you have a closed loop), so I have seen that being a problem.

Congrats LJ! You'll get lots of support here! Great forum for news and help!!!

We are adding a product line to enable treatment of air/water in atmospheric closed tanks. If you are running a still with well water, this product can treat water in your tank and then with adding filter, take out any biologicals or minerals within the water. Likewise, it will keep your process water tank free from bacteria. It is a type of Ozone generator/pump, drawing less than 3 amps with a timer for shutting down if not needed. Please contact me for applications or pricing.

Website and email is on member info. list. mikegronski@gmail.com/ www.mgthermalconsultingco.com

I have supplied Cooling System consulting and equipment to quite a few Cali distillers, mostly in San Diego and N. CA. You can drop me a line and we can start a conversation. Regards, Mike G.

Trident has a still set up making whiskey, uses our chiller plus a glycooler (air to glycol fan powered cooler) to chill their reservoir for the cooling. Probably worth a visit if you can arrange one with Jess.

My friend Jess over at Trident Stills will build you a great mash cooler, he's in your area code:)

Greetings! If you have any questions about budgeting heating and cooling systems or sizing, let me know- I have clients in N Cali and San Diego if you are close to either.

I have recon chillers which can fit in for either the existing or your new location. Several are 230/1/60 which is handy (largest one is 10 HP). Give me a call anytime, Mike G 678-773-2794

Once you get to the larger tanks, 5000 gal or so, horizontal steel tanks are generally the way to go, but I have seen indoor 5000 gal poly tanks. Seems to be more and more common to see multiple tanks, equalized or controlled with solenoids to toggle back and forth, especially if running multiple mash runs/day pr mash runs and stripping runs daily. Shipping a 2500 gal like one pictured to IL with 40 HP chiller located on the roof. Tank is located below chiller with both process and circulating pumps. Pumps are run by subpanel at the pump/tanks station. If you can find a used dairy tank, I have clients that have used them successfully.

If anyone needs a chiller/heat exchanger to crash - I have some refurbs in stock. Expect less than an hour crash with htx and chiller combo working from a cold poly reservoir. Mike G

Andy, Even a hybrid air-glycol cooler cannot cool enough glycol to chill water to 50F in summer, and I have used them in Duluth, MN. A closed loop from a cooling tower means adding a water to water exchanger, indoor sump, pump, water makeup treatment and filtration. First cost seems smaller, but by the time you run this system for a few years, you see water makeup and treatments costs add up and wonder why the additional water and sewer costs are so high. Diverting warm water must done with non-Ferrous piping, pumps, evaporator from the chiller, so for every concept, there is additional equipment added, or modifications to equipment that result in a higher cost. Each capacity of each piece of equipment has to match up, capacity wise, which is why shell/tube mash coolers are used for large mash tuns- to account for small amount heat transfer relative to the chiller+reservoir concept. For given temperatures, the smallest capacity equipment will dictate time for cooling mash. If the given equipment can't offer you enough assurance though experienced suppliers, then ask for references from satisfied customers. I can offer hot water from a heat recovery chiller to neat 170F, but in order to make the hot water, you need twice (roughly) the chiller HP to do that plus reim cooler to take out hot refrigerant when your hot water storage is maxed out. It all depends on what is more important, water heating, quick turnaround on cooling or smallest first cost.

Welcome and if you need any help on you cooling system, give me a shout! I have some cooling systems installed over by Waterbury, CT and over in Lancaster, PA if you're taking a drive this Fall to see the trees go to wine tastings;) Good Luck!

Yep, I agree and sometimes dangerous with hot glycol or oil flying around in pipes (no more than steam, I suppose).

Paul, That's the point I am, too, Paul. If I sell a heat recovery chiller to make hot glycol, it's still needs some electric heater add for a hot glycol tank, and that buries my price. I think the smaller distilleries should be able to work without a steam boiler, but it's a matter of making everything add together plus the cost payback on the utility that's the trick. Cheaper to buy gas for a boiler than the electricity input, especially if the customer doesn't have three phase power.

What do you do for a chiller? I have been working on a high temp heat recovery chiller system design but there would be some add-on to get mashing temp reached without a small steam boiler or hot water boiler to reach high enough water temperatures.

Your could - if you are using a chiller to chill the system condenser- tie into the refrigeration, add a refrigerant to glycol heat exchanger and preheat the glycol with hot refrigerant gas.

I represent a chiller company in Ontario, if you are looking for a cooling system. I use them for clients in Canada since it's easier for service and start ups of equipment.

I had a client use a couple stainless tanks for reservoirs, I supplied him the chiller with non-ferrous water passages. He would pump potable water from the tank, through the chiller , then to the mash exchanger and finally to Hot water tank for potable use. He would make up water to the cold tank, if he was in the hot water saving mode. I don't have photos as yet, but will get some sooner or later.

Yep, you have to be like a Borg and adapt- resistance is futile.

..and 60F is mighty cool unless that's the cooling water temp? Principle is the same, except load would be about half that, look at the picture, put one hand over your eye, look at the picture- wallla! a 5 Ton unit!

The whole concept revolves around the cost of a closed loop cooling system vs. city water where it's used and discarded. In order to reach 60F product temperature , you need a minimum of 10 degree approach, even better with 20 degree. The approach is the difference between the target temperature and the entering cooling water temperature. Of course, you can try to cool it part way with city water and then switch over to a closed loop system, but you would need to not cross contaminate if you are using treated water or glycol in the chiller system. If you want this cooled in an hour, you're talking a 10 ton load.