Propane cooler?

[Beer Baron]

I would double check the schematics from the propane powered units from Lehmans ( http://www.lehmans.com ) to make sure you have everything plumbed corectly. While I have an intelectual understanding of the process, it wouldn't hurt to know the nuts and bolts of the equipment.

My 2 cents,
Alan

I was just wondering if it was possible. Looking into it further, I don't think I want a mixture of ammonia and hydrogen running through my wort.

[lunitick1976]

It could work but the isue is where are you going to store the used (warmed up) propane it has to go from Tank (under presure) to a cooling line (in the hot wort) then get cooled back to normal temp, the problem is what do you put it in to recurculate it. Look under the hood of your car and find the AC pump. Lots of wires, hoses, tubeing, and condenser, evoperators. it could be done, but it would take ALOT of engineering. good luck man.

[ajdelange]

The difficulty I see here is that in taking 5 gallons (40 pounds) of wort from 200 °F to 70 °F you would need to pull out 5200 BTU. I doubt very much that a gas/propane refrigeration system, which is designed to keep a small refrigerator cool, has a capacity of more than a few hundred BTU/hr. Cooling time, at 1000 BTU/hr would be 5 hours. And that's without thinking about what is likely to happen when the "evaporator" is at over 100 degrees. I expect the thing wouldn't work very well at all. Seems totally impractical.

[lunitick1976]

The difficulty I see here is that in taking 5 gallons (40 pounds) of wort from 200 °F to 70 °F you would need to pull out 5200 BTU. I doubt very much that a gas/propane refrigeration system, which is designed to keep a small refrigerator cool, has a capacity of more than a few hundred BTU/hr. Cooling time, at 1000 BTU/hr would be 5 hours. And that's without thinking about what is likely to happen when the "evaporator" is at over 100 degrees. I expect the thing wouldn't work very well at all. Seems totally impractical.

nice man I didn't even think about the fact that BTU's would be the factor but ya man that's sopt on.

[JohnnyB12]

Could this thing be used? http://www.propanecooler.com

[ajdelange]

No. See post of 4/25/11.

[Beer_Baron]

This is similar to what I was thinking of... An ammonia-based absorption refrigeration system that is flame-powered.

http://crosleyautoclub.com/IcyBall/Home ... Built.html

Don't know if the thing has enough BTU's to cool hot wort, but the principle of using a heat-powered cooler to chill is interesting to me...

[Ozwald]

This is similar to what I was thinking of... An ammonia-based absorption refrigeration system that is flame-powered.

http://crosleyautoclub.com/IcyBall/Home ... Built.html

Don't know if the thing has enough BTU's to cool hot wort, but the principle of using a heat-powered cooler to chill is interesting to me...

Crosley Auto Club? Is that the one where your VW breaks down every 20 miles & they don't send anyone to help?