Temp Controled Fermenter

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sudz
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:13 am
Location: west of houston

Temp Controled Fermenter

Post by sudz »

Any Refrigeration/ A/C guys out there? I'm Fixing to start on my next project: Temperature Controled Conical Fermenter, about 18g, plenty of room for a 15g batch. I plan on using a window unit to cool it, the blower motor is out on it, but the compressor works fine, so I figure it could be sacrificed for a better purpose. If you have experience with a/c or refrigeration, I'd like to get in touch with you.
Thanks
Cheers
Sudz
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Mesa Maltworks
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 477
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2001 11:16 pm
Location: Georgetown, Grand Cayman Island

Window A/C won't work....

Post by Mesa Maltworks »

If you designed a baffled box around the fermenter and used blown refrigerated air.... that would work as long as the difference between the ambient air and your targeted fermentation temperature was not greater than 18~20 deg. F. However since the wort would be indirectly cooled, it would take a day or so for the whole volume to reach fermentation temperature. Remember that yeast action raises the pitched temperature of wort from 3~8 deg. F.

However, since you stated that you did not intend to use the blower, I assume you are wondering if you can use the refrigerant and compressor to chill the fermenter as if it was a glycol chiller. The answer is no since the compressor is relying on an air heat exchange method to re-cool the freon. To boot, the compressor is sized only to cool the air coil within the unit.

Use a temperature controlled refigerator... they can be had cheaply!

Eric
Make your next beer (or spirit) a local one!!!!

Eric Watson
Head Distiller & Brewer

Seven Fathoms Rum
Georgetown, Grand Cayman
Cayman Islands
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