How much cooling water?.

[oldjiver]

Has anyone calculated how much cold water it takes through a coil or plate chiller to bring the wort to fermentation temp?

 

[evanvine]

That's like asking "how long is a piece of string"!

 

[oldjiver]

Well not really, I suppose some people save it for washing gear, or like to check their water meter. As water doesn't vary much in temp it should be similar for most. I have read people getting the temp down in half an hour, which with my tap might be hundreds of gallons, fair question I think?

 

[Brewberoza]

It depends on the various temperatures. The wort will probably not still be at 100C by the time it reaches the cooling device (1). Even if we suppose it is we have to factor in the temperature the wort has to reach (2) and the temperature of the cooling water (3). Probable ambient temperature will have an affect (4) as well as the temperature of the parts in question (5). Most of all, we all know the speed of flow has perhaps the most important effect (6).

So, there are clearly a lot of variables. :wha:

 

[dennisking]

I use a bog standard cooper chiller. Mid winter it will cool 23lts in 20mins, in summer more like an hour. But in the summer the wife will water the garden with it so it gets used.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Lots of variables involved. If your on a meter, try and collect the water in something to use again (not water the garden/hanging baskets). Try and use it for something that you would normally use direct from the tap. Ive never used a copper coil chiller but I can imagine that it does use a lot of water, even 20 mins has got to be at least 600lts.
Do a simple test...time how long it takes to fill a 25li container from your tap and then scale up.
On my water pressure to run a tap for 20mins will use 600li.

 

[oldjiver]

Could work out that cooling water is the most expensive ingredient! My mum is charged £1.65 for220 gallons plus £2.90 sewage, that's £4.50 for 1000 litres. Plus a standing charge of about 75p per 220 gallons. I buy my malt in bulk at around £1 a kilo and hops for £1.99 for 100gms, so it would be in my case! I have never used a cooler and I don't think I will start!

 

[nobyipa]

540 litres per hour
at full bore average
thats why i am upgrading to a twin coil cooler

 

[Dronfieldbrewer]

mine will cool down 70 litres in 30 mins during the winder and 45 mins in the summer..I only brew at home every 4 weeks or so so no big deal. I use about 200 litres to chill down 70..

 

[Dave1970]

A lot of you are assuming tap on full - I don't do this, probably start at about 3-4 litres/min - as it cools and the difference between in & out gets less I turn it down more....no point in running the tap full out, particularly later in the cool