Cooling your wash (heat exchanger)

[Lenny]

I need a chilling solution. A small'ish heat exchanger from Alfa Laval or Vicarb - similar to what most small breweries might run - would seemingly fit the bill, but they also seem like bit of overkill in the sense that I'm only looking to drop 300 gallons of wash by about 70 degrees (vs. a brewery that might be shooting for a 120+ degree drop). Plus, they aint cheap.

I'm wondering what some of the smaller scale operations (by small, let's say... a 300 gallon volume for mash/sparge per batch) out there are doing to chill down your wash/mash/whatever to suitable pitching temperatures? Are you going with a legit gasketed stainless plate heat exchanger like the above mentioned, or possibly getting away with a smaller/lesser solution? I've been looking at some brazed stainless steel heat exchangers that are typically use for hydronic systems... something like this: http://www.gea-phe.com/USA/themes/products/brazed-plate-heat-exchangers-ecobraze/gbm-series/ in an 80 plate configuration. I was planning on using our tap water to pump and dump -- if necessary, maybe recirculate a time or two to get the full temp drop.

I appreciate any thoughts or advice any of you might have.

[PeteB]

I suggest you investigate "shell & tube" heat exchangers. ie a smaller diameter pipe inside a larger pipe. Run wort through inner tube and cooling water through outer. Easy to flush out and sterelise. In some designs where there is only a small gap between the inner and outer tube you might get rid of more heat by pumping hot wort through outer tube, but it will be harder to clean.

[Made in Maine]

Lenny,

I have an engineered heat exchanger like Pete described. It was designed to cool hot wort in a quick manner. contact me if youd like to talk about it. Im not sure what you consider "cheap" for something like this. I have seen a design that was FAR from what I would call cheap. it was 17K. Crazy money by my count.

[miller]

If you are going to use a plate and frame exchanger it needs to be of the type (http://www.gea-phe.com/USA/themes/applications/renewable-energy/) on this page. Other wise it will plug up. They are available in small sizes and for not big money from other suppliers. They work quite well, they are what most fuel plants use with success.

[MG Thermal Consulting]

I'd have to agree on the small Plate and frame htx, brazed plate variety will not work if fouled in any way, and are darned near impossible to clean.

Large plate and frames are available used at plenty of dealers, it's then a matter of finding a small one (I know, easier said than done).

I provide chillers to dealers of plate and frames and have bought them myself, so it depends how cold your cooling water can be, it makes the plate and frame smaller.

Good Luck.