Counter flow chiller build

[Garry]

Nice work Demsey and Cathalbrua

That's a lot tidier than my one. I was afraid to bend the pex pipe any tighter, the specs say the minimum bend radius is 175mm. I think mine is about R160mm so I'm just pushing it! You've got some extra flexibility with the pvc. I bet the clear hose will look cool with the cooling water whizzing around too?

What's the total length of your chiller?

[Stitch]

Is there a big benefit to using the counter flow chiller over an immersion chiller??
To my mind this would be harder to clean and sanitise. Also you are still have the same surface area of cold water passing over hot wort.
Granted if you have a brewing sculpture it could be made a permanent fixture which would be handy.

[DEMPSEY]

Garry the total length is approx 6 metres as that is the length of the seamless stainless steel pipe. An immersion chiller will chill the wort in place and so help leave the cold break with the hot break and the spent hops, a counterflow chiller can do the same if you use it to return the cooling wort back to the Kettle before you transfer to the fermenter. 

[Dr Jacoby]

Went for S/S because I was not comfortable with not seeing the inside of the copper regarding cleaning.

I have the same worry but I'm not sure how much of a worry it really is. It's pretty difficult I imagine to completely dry the inside of a long piece of coiled copper tubing and I'd worry about nasty deposits forming. But then again I'm probably being paranoid. They say water in the normal pH range (which is what you'd use to flush the tube out afterwards) poses no great risk, but I don't like the idea of it just sitting in there for weeks on end.

[johnrm]

Solution 1: Brew more beer 

Solution 2: Keep filled with water, sort-of like your plumbing at home, bung both ends. (Maybe with a mild anti-bacterial agent)

[Dr Jacoby]

Solution 1 can be generalised to almost any problem in life I find 

[Garry]

Solution 2: Keep filled with water, sort-of like your plumbing at home, bung both ends. (Maybe with a mild anti-bacterial agent)

That sounds like a good idea. Can you get bungs that small?

[Damien M]

In less that 72 hours entrapped water at warmish (ambient) temperatures will allow Legionella bacteria thrive and their nutrient is oxides so be careful with that option ( anti bacterial will help )  and water is never O2 free so oxidation would speed up.

The pharma industry design their systems to be free draining and by the looks of both the setups they would do that naturally, if left in a warm place between uses, the cooling water is not important as it is not in product contact!!. Bugs need moisture and heat to grow so getting rid of either or both, will stop the bugs.

As all immersion chiller users know they come out sparkley after every use and the copper oxide hasn't tainted the beer? Yet? Maybe? so that would end up in the beer but minimize the moisture and you minimize the oxidation. 

Ultimately, a SIP (Steam in Place) pre use using a modified Wallpaper stripper?? ( yes the pex will be a challenge and maybe need a stainless in Copper mod ), would be an option but perhaps beyond the requirements of us average HBers.

Free draining and dry storage will keep it bug free and oxide minimized.

D   

[johnrm]

Solution 3: A Modified hairdryer to dry it out then!

[Garry]

Solution 3: A Modified hairdryer to dry it out then!

Maybe? You'd probably have to bypass the thermostat but home brewers are good at that 

[Brewer Gerard]

Any good local suppliers for the stainless steel tubing? Do you know if it is 316 grade

[Hop Bomb]

Would you not just recirc boiling wort from the BK though the chiller & back to the BK for the last 15 mins of the boil? I do that to sterilize my plate chiller. You drop your immersion chiller in for last 15 mins of the boil too. Same theory.