Chilling Question - Gravity Feed?

Yeast_Whisperer · Joined: 09 Jul 2016 Posts: 13 Location: Clarksburg, MD

Hi Kal,
I see that in your photos you show the counter-flow chiller mounted below the kettle and the fermenter on the floor. Your diagram shows the wort flowing from kettle to pump to chiller to fermenter. With this setup, is there a reason the wort needs to be pumped? Could it not flow into the chiller and then the fermenter using gravity only?

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 7:40 pm Post subject:

I have pumps but sometime do as you say and only use gravity.

**kal** · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:01 pm Post subject:

Better, more consistent flow control. If gravity feeding may tend to go faster at the start and slows down as the weight is removed meaning you'd have to play with the valve/chilling water flow to have consistent chill. With a pump with valve the speed is consistent so less fiddling.

I'm not sure I'd be able to get fast enough flow just gravity feeding when the ground water's very cold (winter) and I want to flow fast.

Already have the pumps and all plumbing anyway. So there's no advantage to not using a pump during chilling on my design from what I can see. Is there a reason you're considering it? (I may be overlooking something)

Kal

Yeast_Whisperer · Joined: 09 Jul 2016 Posts: 13 Location: Clarksburg, MD

**kal** · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:33 pm Post subject:

It's not the Hop Stopper slowing the flow - due to the efficient nature of the Hop Stopper, pumping too fast when the Hop Stopper gets exposed to air allows air to enter the filter screen from the top instead of wort entering from the bottom. This results in the Hop Stopper completely draining which in turn causes it to lose siphon. The solution is to slow down the pump rate to a very slow trickle as soon as the Hop Stopper becomes exposed to air.

Watch for bubbles in the hose leaving the Boil Kettle as the sign that the siphon is getting ready to break. If this happens, immediately CLOSE the Wort Pump valve for approximately 10 seconds to allow wort to refill the Hop Stopper screen cavity. Then slowly OPEN the Wort Pump valve to finish draining the boil kettle at a reduced flow rate.

I suppose you could also stop using a pump completely - that would lessen the likelihood of pumping too fast.

Kal

Yeast_Whisperer · Joined: 09 Jul 2016 Posts: 13 Location: Clarksburg, MD

Thanks Kal. I've tried to do more or less as you've described. Perhaps I'll figure it out on my next batch. If not, I can always try gravity.

**kal** · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:47 pm Post subject:

Let us know how it goes!

Kal

Yeast_Whisperer · Joined: 09 Jul 2016 Posts: 13 Location: Clarksburg, MD

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 9:44 pm Post subject:

Yeast_Whisperer · Joined: 09 Jul 2016 Posts: 13 Location: Clarksburg, MD

Thanks DP.

Yeast_Whisperer · Joined: 09 Jul 2016 Posts: 13 Location: Clarksburg, MD

dp Brewing Company · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 2:55 pm Post subject: