Counterflow glycol chiller for on-demand cooling

[aurelius]

Hello all,

I'm looking to build a glycol chiller for six jacketed fermenters. I've seen a fair deal of home projects in which people have ripped apart an air conditioner and set the condenser coils in a cooler filled with glycol. This strikes me as inefficient. I'm looking to build my own chiller, but have a long ways to go in understanding exactly how to go about implementing my idea.

Anyway, here is the idea: utilize a tube-in-tube counterflow wort chiller (copper in copper). The inside tube is charged with refrigerant, the outside tube has glycol. Glycol from a reservoir would be pumped into the outer tube and on to a distribution manifold when a tank is getting too warm. The compressor would fire up, and cool the glycol. Both the compressor and the pump circulating the glycol would shut off when the tanks don't need to give off some of their heat.

In general, I don't think the heat added to the reservoir would be all that significant. If we're talking a few degrees here and there, I think that could more than be offset by the counterflow chilling. Now if I were to crash all the fermenters at the same time, I would be looking at around a 40 degree difference in each tank. With 6 tanks, I'm thinking I would need a pretty hefty compressor.


Sound like a good idea?

I know that there has to be a way for the heat generated to escape the system. Is there any good use for the heat from the evaporator coils?

Any idea on how long of a tube-in-tube system I would need? 25 feet? 50 feet?

Any input or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[R123]

I've seen a fair deal of home projects in which people have ripped apart an air conditioner and set the condenser coils in a cooler filled with glycol. This strikes me as inefficient.

That would be extremely inefficient.....as a matter of fact.....counterproductive.

I know that there has to be a way for the heat generated to escape the system. Is there any good use for the heat from the evaporator coils?

I'm not sure what you mean. Maybe......send it to the condenser?

[zw17]

This is not a DIY forum.

Hire someone, you are way off base.

[aurelius]

zw17,

I'm not looking to do this myself. I'm seeking advice from those with more experience than I have. Thus, we would all be doing it.

I'm college educated, and have taken courses in computer science, chemical engineering and physics. Am I the smartest person in this forum? No. Do I want to learn more from the individuals who might be? Yes.

I would be very interested to hear what you have to say regarding the design of a system such as this. Is there a fault you see in running glycol counter to the condenser?

[zw17]

I'm looking to build a glycol chiller for six jacketed fermenters

That would constitute a DIY project.

Apply for pro membership, prove your creds, and then you can ask all these types of questions and more.

Read the notices about DIY projects and contact site staff with any questions.

Thank you.

[ESS CHILL WATER]

we have design engineering department are you intrested on the design let me know, you need what we call build up system and buy the components for separately
just let me know and send me your alternate email

regards
oscar