CLT sizing for 1000L hoga

[Stickrod]

Hello,

We are looking for approximate usage of cooling water for a 1000L hoga still. Both for a stripping run or a spirt run would be appreciated. We are trying to determine the size of CLT needed to recycle cooling water instead of sending it down the drain. The plan is to utilize two different CLTs, using the water from tank one to cool our condenser and then refill tank two. The next day the operation would run in reverse, from tank two through the condenser and then to tank one. Thanks.

[Sherman]

The two tank system is not really a viable option. Tanks do not radiate a lot of heat( they cool really slow). If you store 110F in tank A, as a result of distilling day 1, and expect that to cool any it might be 90 the next day.

Condensers require 3 to 5 gallons per minute of 45F water. Then you need to chill the tank. Most people are only interested in the boiler calling it the "Engine" . The chiller system is the "brakes". Tap water and tank to tank transfer are not practical options. That plan does not work. You seriously need a chiller system that is at least 1/10 the size of your boiler. You can store cold water in a well insulated system, meaning you can chill your water off demand. If you mash and distill 8 hours a day, that leaves you 16 hours to get that water chilled again.

[Stickrod]

Sherman,

Thank you for your response. We are putting in both a brew pub and distillery. The cold liquor tanks will be jacketed and the entire distillery side will have a separate glycol process pump. We are looking at a 12 hp dual chiller, about 200,000 btu/hr. Half of that capacity will be used in the brewery and cold room, the other half is for the distillery and expansion. The 3-5 gal per min is the number I was looking for. In total we are looking at putting in 5 separate stills, so I should be able to calculate estimated water usage from there. Another question would be how to plumb the multiple condensers to this chiller loop. I am thinking similar to my glycol loop on the brewery side with one vfd pump feeding a common input pipe and individual vales controlling flow resistance through each individual condenser. In the distillery case I will use manual valves, where in the brewery we use electric solenoids. I know the initial set up is complex, especially altering cold tanks back and forth, however I feel once the system is installed we will be happy. Please offer any more insite you may have! Thanks again!

[MG Thermal Consulting]

Whatever you do as far as a reservoir tank (I have a piping sample on a 500 gal still using a 1000 gal poly reservoir and a 10 HP chiller), the chiller usually has it's own dedicated pump (higher flow, low TD) while the process (lower flow, wider TD) for the condensers.

Just a thumbnail on your chiller selection, if you are looking at running 5 stills at once, I would say a 12.5 HP (ton?) chiller is marginal. Your capacity of 200,000 Bth/hr looks more like a 20 HP chiller which serves the brewery too, I assume.

Anyway, if you would like the sample schematic, send me an email.

Mike