Plates wort chiller calculation

[dude1]

I tried to use this chart to calculate the plates wort chiller I need
http://www.dudadiesel.com/files/beerwortchart.pdf
but I'm still very unsure.

I need to chill 25 Gal (~100L) in a reasonable time (I guess about 10 minutes) and my tap flow is quite low: 3.3gpm (12.5 Lpm).

Tap temp is about 40F (5°C) in winter and 60F (15°C) in summer.

I'm aware longer wort chillers are better, but I'm still totally confused which one to get.

Thanks!

 

[chezhed]

Just based on experience, I don't think a homebrew wort chiller will get that done for you. You are going to need a commercial chiller with a lot more than 120 plates or at least at lot more surface area than a homebrew 120 plate chiller will provide.

I can pump wort with a Topsflo pump thru a 120 plate chiller and pump ice water with a sump pump thru and it still takes 12 minutes to chill 10 gallons......

 

[stevehaun]

Dudadiesel has an applications requirement form that he will use to tell you which exchanger to buy:
http://www.dudadiesel.com/heat_exchangers.php
It is about half way down the page.

I have a therminator and I could chill 35 gallons of wort in about 30 min (my water temp is 55F).

 

[augiedoggy]

[

I have the 20 plate duda B23 chiller which I use to chill my wort in one pass on its way to the fermenter... in the winter I can run my pump at 3 gpm and still have to turn down my water as to not overchill it (total time is under 5 mins)... in the summer I have to turn my pump down to like 1gpm which takes me about 10-15 mins to chill 11 gallons..

I dont see how you would need anything close to a 120plate chiller... remember longer wider plates are always better than more plates as far as efficiency as well as keeping it unclogged.

 

[chezhed]

in the winter I can run my pump at 3 gpm

Are you pumping wort or chilling water? Are you recycling water or all new? And I bet your water in winter is COLD!!!!

The cooling calculation works on the flow rates of cooling water and wort.

My ground/house water NEVER is below 70F....I have to use ice water year round to get wort below 72....and I recycle that ice water so initially my cooling water is about 35F and by the end it is more like 55F. A 20 plate chiller won't do that for me. But your summer cooling rate is the same as mine...although I pump my wort 10 feet.....which reduces my GPM....another factor to consider.

dude1....just get the biggest and best you can afford....you will thank yourself later when you upgrade

 

[augiedoggy]

water is very cold right now... upper 30s pumping wort post boil right to conicals. in the summer my water is very warm...

 

[Duda_Energy]

I tried to use this chart to calculate the plates wort chiller I need
http://www.dudadiesel.com/files/beerwortchart.pdf
but I'm still very unsure.

I need to chill 25 Gal (~100L) in a reasonable time (I guess about 10 minutes) and my tap flow is quite low: 3.3gpm (12.5 Lpm).

Tap temp is about 40F (5°C) in winter and 60F (15°C) in summer.

36a-20 plate. You should be able to pitch 25 gallons down to 65f in 10.4 minutes.
If you have to pitch lower though, let me know. And this is based on you having 40f water, and it never dropping below 3.3 gpm. The slightest fluctuation in that speed will change your time by a good bit; your numbers are right on the edge of reasonable.

In the summer, the 10 minutes isn't going to happen for under $670 (but our 95a-40 could do it), unless you just need a summer ale that pitches at 95f, then you'd have a chance.