Homebrew Glycol Chiller T120FBC

Description

The T120FBC glycol chiller from UBC Group is a mean cooling machine capable of crash cooling and flash chilling of up to 4 products. It is a solid choice medium-volume homebrewers and beer makers (breweries and wineries). The T120FBC conical fermenter glycol chiller works best at an ambient temperature of 75 to 100 0F.

In addition to a 35-lb ice bank and a 3/8 hp compressor, this particular model features a manual thermostat allowing you to control the temperature individually for 4 product lines. The maximum operating distance is 25 feet and the required clearance is at least 12’’ around the entire unit.

How to calculate the size of a brewery/fermenter glycol chiller:

In order to calculate the size of the fermenter glycol chiller you need, you need to know:

1) You need to determine the bbl of your brewery 10 bbl, 20 bbl etc. If you brewing 10 barrels of beer at a time means you have a 10 bbl system.
2) Second you need to determine the pull down, also called crashing. Pull down occurs when the temperature of your fermenter drops. The other factors you must know in order to size your chiller are as follows:

• The size of your fermentation tanks

• Temperature Differential

• Length of time to achieve desired temperature

Calculate the Pull Down Load:

• Calculate the volume in gallons of your tanks
(1 bbl = 31 gallons)
ex: 10 bbl tank = 310 gallons

Use the assumption we have four, 10 bbl tanks
310 x 4 = 1,240 gallons

• Multiply the total gallons by 8.33 to get the total pounds
ex: 310 x 8.33 = 2,582.30 pounds

• Multiply the total pounds by your temperature difference
This is often 75°F – 34°F = 41°F
ex: 2,582.30 x 41 = 105,874.30 Total BTU

• Divide by the hours of your pull down
ex: 105,874.30 /24 = 4,411.42 (BTU/HR)

This is the BTU/HR required for your pull down process. It is not uncommon for brewers to add 10 – 15% to this number to accommodate for extra heat being added by the pumps, unexplained heat loss or other inefficiencies.

Calculate the Heat Load for Active Fermentation:

• Multiply the total bbl’s (total barrels) by 15 bricks.
ex: 10 bbl’s x 15 = 150 bricks

• Multiply by 280 BTU
ex: 150 bricks x 280 BTU = 42,200 BTU

• Divide by 70 Hours
70 hours is typically the amount of time that the majority of heat gain from yeast occurs, even if/when the fermentation period is longer than 75 hours.
ex: 42,200/70 = 600 BTU/HR

This is the TOTAL BTU/HR’s Needed for Active Fermentation

Add the pull down load and the active fermentation load together for the total BTU/HR load

ex: 4,411.42 (BTU/HR) + 600 BTU/HR = 5,011.42 BTU/HR

For this example, a chiller capable of providing a minimum of 5,000 BTU/HR @28°F Leaving Glycol Temperature would be required.