conical fermentors

[wolfratt]

not sure if this is the right place to post?
I've been looking at conical fermentor's for a couple of years, but cant find a definitive answer regarding the angle of the cone....
As a fabricator who spends most of my time working in stainless I wont buy my gear but would rather build, maybe with the option to offer to others "at cost price"
I've seen "quoted" cone angles both here and in U.S. and they vary between 45 and 60 degree's....to my mind 45 would be better as there would be less ullage between the trub and bottom ball valve.....has anyone got experience with this? thanks

 

[Northern Brewer]

As a fabricator who spends most of my time working in stainless I wont buy my gear but would rather build, maybe with the option to offer to others "at cost price"

Very handy to know

I've seen "quoted" cone angles both here and in U.S. and they vary between 45 and 60 degree's....to my mind 45 would be better as there would be less ullage between the trub and bottom ball valve.....has anyone got experience with this? thanks

I'm happy with my 120L plastic conical, I can measure the angle on this if you wish. My only gripes are that sometimes when I open the 1/2" BSP fulll bore tap at the bottom after a brew, the yeast cake doesn't want to come out so I have to wiggle a bit of wire up it and get covered in it. Seeing as I have but in a reducer I would go with a bigger tap next time.

Also the distance between the bottom and take off tap is only just enough for some vigorous yeasts, probably should have given it a little bit more but I can always add a racking cane or extend the back of the tank connector.

A steeper angle will guarantee less sediment will stick to the sides, after that you just adjust the distance between the top and bottom tap to change the ulage and use a racking cane to minimise loss. See here for how Aleman did it.
Cheers
NB

 

[Vossy1]

I'm happy with my 120L plastic conical, I can measure the angle on this if you wish. My only gripes are that sometimes when I open the 1/2" BSP fulll bore tap at the bottom after a brew, the yeast cake doesn't want to come out so I have to wiggle a bit of wire up it and get covered in it. Seeing as I have but in a reducer I would go with a bigger tap next time.

I suspected that might happen so stayed full bore 1", thanks for the confirmation A :thumb:
I'm sure if you wanted to change it you could flog the 1/2" ball valve easily enough...or apply it to another part of the project :whistle:

As a fabricator who spends most of my time working in stainless I wont buy my gear but would rather build, maybe with the option to offer to others "at cost price"

V drools at the prospect :lol:

I've seen "quoted" cone angles both here and in U.S. and they vary between 45 and 60 degree's....to my mind 45 would be better as there would be less ullage between the trub and bottom ball valve.....has anyone got experience with this? thanks

I've not looked at mine for a while but from recollection it's a steeper angle, more like 30 deg :hmm: I won't have time to check today but can do tomorrow.

 

[Northern Brewer]

Here's the bottom of my FV so you can see the angle of the dangle. You can also see the sediment line just above the take-off tap, this is an 80L brew using S04 yeast. It looks worse than it is as the sediment is higher up the sides than it is in the middle and the SS bulkhead connectior (courtesy of Vossy :thumb: ) sticks out about 40mm inside. I usually take a pint of sediment out of the bottom to make sure the take-off tap is clear of sediment, after about half a pint it the take-off usually runs clear.

 

[wolfratt]

thanks for the quick reply's! will go with a 60degree included angle and see how it go's, wont be for a week or so as i'll be on site for a while, but at least i can work things out now

 

[Aleman]

60Degrees is usually used as it uses less material

Plus and less than 60Deg and the yeast don't really slide down the slope to the bottom.

 

[Vossy1]

Just to clear up any confusion, 60 deg is measured from the horizontal, 30 deg from the vertical, they are both the same thing, just depends how you look at it. It would appear after searching that from the horizontal is the norm, as I'm a lay person I didn't know that

 

[wolfratt]

have been doing some digging with regards fabricating a 70Lt fermenter and in my "research" have come across the "brew-magic fermenter" based on a keg, with what looks like good arguments as to why avoid conical's for the volumes we use....
anyone have any thoughts/input?
sorry, i cant post the link as I'm a new member but if you google the above I'm sure you'll find it.

 

[EskiBrew]

Thanks wolfratt - is this what you mean?

Regarding being unable to post links as a new user, this is a new thing we have just introduced to try and reduce the amount of spam we have to deal with :thumb:

 

[wolfratt]

eskimobob,
yeah, thats the one, have you read the "spiel" any thoughts?
as regards a newbi spamming i totally understand and agree!
in time i hope to prove myself worthy of not spamming.....my interest is and always has been "home-brew" and being involved with helping micro's.....as a fabricator i can help most who want to "play" with stainless......26+ years of experience, my time to share!

 

[EskiBrew]

eskimobob,
yeah, thats the one, have you read the "spiel" any thoughts?

I have read the blurb but can't seem to find info that says why conicals are bad and that is good :wha:

as a fabricator i can help most who want to "play" with stainless......26+ years of experience, my time to share!

Sounds very useful - where abouts are you?

 

[bobsbeer]

It is here Martin. I think the arguments are a bit tenuous, and more a marketing ploy to make you buy their fermenter at great expense.

 

[EskiBrew]

It is here Martin. I think the arguments are a bit tenuous, and more a marketing ploy to make you buy their fermenter at great expense.

Pretty much agree Bob - it is mostly marketing speak. Not to say it is right or wrong but I've not read anything particularly convincing :hmm: