Submersible pump for IC wort chilling

[dogismycopilot]

Since my tap water temp is +80 in summer, I want to use a submersible pump to recirculate ice water through my immersion chiller. What's the ideal GPH and HP for a submersible pump I can set in a bucket of ice water?

Thanks

[Bugeater]

Since the inside diameter of the chiller is so small, you can get by with a really cheap, small pond pump. A regular sump pump will pump water with so much force that you will blow the hoses off. If the hoses and fittings don't blow, the pump may get damaged. You don't need a lot of flow through the chiller anyway for efficient transfer of heat.

For an idea of ideal flow rate, just hook up your hose to your chiller and get it running at your usual rate. Run flow into a bucket for one minute. Measure that and you will know the flow rate to look for in a pump.

Wayne

[Henning1966]

this is the one i use seems to work good and is cheap http://www.harborfreight.com/158-gph-mi ... 68396.html

[beltbuckle]

this is the one i use seems to work good and is cheap http://www.harborfreight.com/158-gph-mi ... 68396.html

i use that same pump to pump ice water through a chillzilla. could have a bit more volume but it does get the job done. also handy for draining the kids little inflatable swimming pool.

[Kbar]

Since the inside diameter of the chiller is so small, you can get by with a really cheap, small pond pump. A regular sump pump will pump water with so much force that you will blow the hoses off. If the hoses and fittings don't blow, the pump may get damaged. You don't need a lot of flow through the chiller anyway for efficient transfer of heat.

For an idea of ideal flow rate, just hook up your hose to your chiller and get it running at your usual rate. Run flow into a bucket for one minute. Measure that and you will know the flow rate to look for in a pump.

Wayne

Sorry for the rant Bug.........Pet peeve concerning basic hydraulics. A typical 1/4 HP sump pump is only capable of 25 feet of lift or 10.8 Psi. Given it is a nonpositive displacment pump, at 10.8 Psi at the outlet of the pump flow is virtually zero due to impeller bypass. Your brewery plumbing connections can easily made to handle 10 Psi, easily. A barb fitting and PVC (FDA/NSF at 1/2" ID) hose is good to 150 Psi at 68F. I do agree with you. however, with the statement that flows are too high. You can throttle the outlet as many of us do with the 'March' pumps, though, and at $58, they are cheap alternatives to brewery pumps and come with flow switches as well as being submersible.....................

[dogismycopilot]

Thanks, guys. Glad to know I don't have to shell out for something powerful. I thought it might require more, to push through 50' of copper coil, but apparently not.

Cheers

[Kbar]

So I am worried. Ran some calcs and based on the following;
5 GPM
Water as medium flowing
1/2" ID copper or 0.02 roughness factor
50 feet of copper tubing

Pressure drop is 14 Psi. Not too many options, cost effective, that you can get for a pump to operate at those outlet pressures......................

FYI

I am curious if anyone has one that functions well or just trickles.......

[LordUlrich]

So I am worried. Ran some calcs and based on the following;
5 GPM
Water as medium flowing
1/2" ID copper or 0.02 roughness factor
50 feet of copper tubing

Pressure drop is 14 Psi. Not too many options, cost effective, that you can get for a pump to operate at those outlet pressures......................

FYI

I am curious if anyone has one that functions well or just trickles.......

5 GMP is ALOT of flow. I just measured my kitchen sink at almost exactly 1gpm. If you use 1gpm instead you get a "pressure loss" of .5 PSI or just over 1 ft of head.
Head loss is exponentially related to flow rate (actually velocity)
here is a chart for those less math/engineering inclined: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pressure-loss-copper-pipes-d_930.html
Realistically 50 ft of 1/2 in cooper is not that much, very similar to a 50 ft garden hose, most pumps can flow through that just fine, and actually need some head to function properly. Also you see these pumps rated at x hundred GPM at 0 ft of head, that is not a realistic performance number for a practical application (you need more than 0 ft of head, or why use a pump), it is useful for figuring out your actual performance.


as an FYI i use a pump similar to this one :http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100047107&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=100047107&ci_src=14110944&cm_mmc=shopping-_-googlebase-_-D26X-_-100047107&locStoreNum=2807 and it works just fine.