inline oxygenation

inkedbrewer · Joined: 15 Jan 2015 Posts: 57

i'm wondering if anyone has a parts list of what is needed to add an inline oxygenation system
to the counter flow wort chiller. I was thinking of purchasing the one from MoreBeer.com

**kal** · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:04 am Post subject:

I would worry about something like this much farther down the road, if you think you need it, after you have a few dozen brews under your belt.

I've never used one myself and have never experienced stuck fermentations or poor attenuation in beers ranging from 3% simple bitters to 12% barleywines.

This is what I use to aerate wort: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/parts-list-using?page=12

On this cordless drill: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/High-powered-3-8-or-1-2-variable-speed-reversible-VSR-drill

Kal

chastuck · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 2:47 pm Post subject:

Here's our I did my in-line oxygen setup: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27776&highlight=

Kevin59 · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 10:24 pm Post subject:

Here's one I built for my setup a couple of years ago.

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=296800#296800

I used it a few times and then decided it was more trouble than it was worth for me. (READ: I'm too lazy to have one more thing to clean at the end of the brew day! Wink

)

Now I splash the heck out of my wort as I pump it into my fermenter to "aerate", then pitch yeast from a starter and all is well.

jimboh · Joined: 25 Mar 2017 Posts: 69 Location: Halifax NS

The top of my fastferments are only 6 inches from the ceiling in my beer room in the basement. I can't get a drill with a degas tool or even a stirrer into the top to properly oxygenate so I was considering placing an inline aeration stone on the output from the wort chiller.
I was just going to buy an aquarium fish tank air pump, sanitary filter and 2 micron stone and a SS tee to mount it in.

Will this method provide sufficient oxygenation? Or would I need to go pure Oxygen (I'd rather not).

David_H · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 12:24 pm Post subject:

Here is a link to the Venturi Aeration that I am using. There is a very large head of foam in the fermenter after passing through this venturi.

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=320711#320711

Though, this sucks air in, not oxygen.

David

jimboh · Joined: 25 Mar 2017 Posts: 69 Location: Halifax NS

Thanks David, I saw your solution when I searched before posting and it looks real neat and no pump needed.
I was looking at the 1/2 NPT threaded stone simply because it would fit neatly and permanently in my setup. One thing I didn't consider was that an SS aeration stone fitted permanently in the chiller output may be a sanitary issue as it may be difficult to clean.

I see people arguing against screw thread fittings in the wort cold side, I have just been pumping boiling wort through the coil and output pipe back into the wort (until the pipes are full) and then let it stand for 5 minutes full of very hot water.

With your Venturi system is the pipework rigid? Only I have only seen those pipe fittings (the T) used with rigid pipe.

I have a quick disconnect fitting on the Chiller output and I use one of my female/female hoses connected to a long male/male hose through a hole in the floor to my basement and ferementer below. the hose is silicone 1/2 in ID.

I could make a shorter Female/Female quick disconnect tube with a short length of hose with your tee in the middle. Or maybe it would be possible to use a SS Tee and a 1/2in NPT to 1/4in barb fitting as the venturi (grind off the nut on the barb fitting and screw it in barb first? What do you think?

Edit: Duh, will a thread even screw in backwards???

David_H · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 4:52 pm Post subject:

McGruber · Joined: 12 Aug 2014 Posts: 237 Location: Idaho

jimboh · Joined: 25 Mar 2017 Posts: 69 Location: Halifax NS

Do you think that the venturi method will oxygenate more effectively than an aquarium pump and stone inline?

McGruber · Joined: 12 Aug 2014 Posts: 237 Location: Idaho

David_H · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:10 pm Post subject:

Since I'm using the venturi, I think the venturi is adequate. (Obviously biased) There is a very audible sucking sound and obvious bubbles and foam in the fermenter. There is easily 2-3 gallons of foam (if that is a viable measure of foam) on top of the wort in the fermenter.

jimboh · Joined: 25 Mar 2017 Posts: 69 Location: Halifax NS

I do like the idea of the venturi, but I would rather do something in stainless that I can perhaps boil after each batch. Any ideas on how you would do it with a stainless Tee?

McGruber · Joined: 12 Aug 2014 Posts: 237 Location: Idaho

jimboh · Joined: 25 Mar 2017 Posts: 69 Location: Halifax NS

@McGruber Yes I guess so. I have made hundreds of batches with kits before getting into All Grain and all I ever did was give it a bit of a stir and I reckon all the beers turned out ok. Just trying to do things as right as I can now I have the Electric Brewery.

McGruber · Joined: 12 Aug 2014 Posts: 237 Location: Idaho

David_H · Posted: Mon Jun 12, 2017 8:48 pm Post subject:

Here are my thoughts on an almost off the shelf SS Venturi.
Use 3/8" OD SS Tubing, swag the end down to about 1/8" ID (this is the hard / expensive part)
Connect this into a SS Compression Tee Fitting.
Connect another piece of 3/8" Tubing to the output side allowing the swagged portion to nest inside the output tubing.
Attach the sanitary air filter to the upstanding leg of the Tee.
The input tubing and output tube would then attach to your Silicone Tubing with hose clamps.

Just my thoughts. Or google SS Venturi and contact one of the suppliers.

jimboh · Joined: 25 Mar 2017 Posts: 69 Location: Halifax NS

I did it again posted in the wrong thread. So here it is again:
This is what I went for. Big fail.

I bought a small aquarium pump to go with this setup.

I wrongly assumed:
a) the holes in the stainless 2 micron aeration stone would be too small to pass liquid and
b) that a small pump would be sufficient.

I reckon I need a one way check valve Embarassed

. I didn't turn it on until I started pumping the wort into my fermenter. I had wort running through the stone and filter and up the hose. Did not reach the pump. When I turned on the pump it pushed the wort back some but did not have sufficient pressure to get air into the stone.

Maybe with a check valve and turn it on before starting wort pump it may work. I will have to trial it with water.

Also, considering changing so the center of the first tee joins to the center of the second tee with the stone coming in at the top and the quick attach at the bottom, will that make any difference ? (Fluid mechanics/dynamics is not my strong point Confused