CFC double as a heat exchanger!

[fakr]

My CFC is made like most, a inner copper pipe for wort transfer, and a larger outer hose for water transfer.  

It hit me earlier today while looking for a place on my brew stand to permanently attach my CFC that I could also use it as a heat exchanger, eliminating the need to build a HERMS or RIMS system.  This is all because I bought some expensive hot water heater hose for the outer hose section of my CFC.

Here's my throughts behind this...

When it comes time to recirculate my mash, I'll hookup the recirc pump to the CFC, pumping wort through it and back into my mash.  At the same time, I can hookup my HLT to the water in of my CFC and pump hot water through it and back into the HLT, thus heating my wort as opposed to cooling it.  

I have an electric HLT and I'm in the process of designing a controller for it (as opposed to the current method of turning the breaker on and off).  With a thermowell, I'll be able to read the wort temp recirculating back in the mash tun and adjust the HLT temp accordingly.

This is really going to simplify my brew stand as I can use my CFC as a heat exchanger and don't need to spend extra money on a separate copper coil or RIMS type heater.

So, next on the list is to get the electronics to monitor the recirculating wort temp and control my HLT temp.


Thought I'd share this with you guys, though some of you might already be doing this.

JohnQ....you have a copper in copper CFC...might be an option for you too....then you could get rid of the copper coil in your HLT.

[fakr]

Well, it turns out I'm not a genius...a quick search on google and I've found others that do this.   At least I know it will work!

[JohnQ]

LOL, last time I was brewing I looked down at my CFC and had exactly the same thought, was planning on trying it out soon. With the dual pumps running I figured that I can probably get a lot better heat exchange out of it, and by running the hlt water hotter through the outer jacket I should be able to make it work, just need to figure out where in the system to put the ball valves to allow the HLT water in to the outer jacket, it's pre-plumbed to recover the CFC water to the HLT already so that part is ready.

If I get a chance, I'll do it and post it.

JQ

[fakr]

Awesome Senior!  Definitely post your results compared to your current coil in HLT setup!

[JohnQ]

Got the lines figured out on the how to make it work, and it does.
The concern right now is that the March Pump will only provide 2 litres per flow through the system.

That's 8 feet of hose, 4 feet of solid copper, 32 feet of soft copper with the inner copper inside it, 2 braided connection lines 5 ball valves, 2 stop cocks  and 7 Quick disconnects...all of which add significant drag.

Haven't done any temp tests, but a little concerned that at 2 lpm there won't be enough energy available to make it work effectively here.

Wonder if ganging pumps in line together would overcome some of the friction...Ian, Dean...are you out there?

JQ

[JohnQ]

Second March pump in line, 2 litres per minute increases to 3 litres per minute.

JQ

[Kyle]

This is ancedotal, since its a different type of chiller, but through 15' of silicone hose, a pump, and a 40 plate chiller, I get an output of 205F after a few minutes. (I recirculate the last 20 mins of the boil to sterilize those parts.)

[fakr]

Hey John,

I'm surprised that the HLT water transfer is only 2 leters per minute, but regardless, wouldn't you just have to find the HLT temp sweet spot to get the correct wort temp output?  Like maybe your HLT temp would have to be 6 degrees higher than the input wort temp to get the correct output temp?  I'm sure it will take a bit of tweaking....

That being said, looks like I'll have to fast track my temp controllerpump controller build so I can start doing this....found what I need, and a very good price...will post in another thread....