Brewing beer is as much science as it is art. At the peak of flavor, the brewmaster must know when to cool his beer and stop the fermentation, or it will alter the flavor and alcohol content. With the quality of 1,890 gallons of beer at stake, how can he cool down a 60-barrel fermentation tank quickly and maintain the desired temperature?
The solution is a glycol chiller, the food-safe way to cool food, beverage, chemical, or pharmaceutical processes. It is more energy-efficient than water-based chillers, takes up less space, and requires little maintenance. They don’t use water, so there is no corrosion.
What is a Glycol Chiller and How Does It Work
A glycol chiller is a specific type of refrigeration system that uses a mixture of water and the food-grade chemical propylene glycol. Industrial glycol chillers use propylene glycol to remove heat during processing beverages, such as beer, wine, and soft drinks. Homebrewers and microbrewers use a technique called crash cooling or cold crashing that takes beer to just above the freezing point to help it clarify before bottling.
Another glycol chiller that reduces temperatures to -112°f (-80°c) uses a different glycol, ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is toxic and not a suitable coolant choice where it may accidentally contact food.
How Does a Glycol Chiller Work?
A glycol chiller pumps the glycol through a heat exchanger, or coils, where it transfers heat from the heated tank liquid flowing through the heat exchanger. The refrigerant is then pumped through a second heat exchanger, transferring the heat it absorbed into a separate glycol liquid flowing in a closed loop. The second glycol refrigerant cools the liquid passing through the heat exchanger.
The result is rapid cooling of the liquid contents in large tanks or vessels without contaminating the contents. Achieving lower temperatures requires a higher concentration of glycol to water ratio. You can see a glycol concentrations chart here.
Glycol Concentrations
Glycol. It’s a critical part of most process chiller systems. Used in conjunction with water, the mixture is the liquid that flows through the chiller system and keeps your products cool. The amount of glycol and water in the mixture is not finite, however. It’s important to recognize how much glycol you need, and in order to do that, you need to know what glycol can do in different amounts.
The purpose of glycol is to lower the freezing point of water. Different ratios of water-to-glycol will result in different freezing temperatures. Using glycol properly means knowing how much you need to use. The lower temperature you want equals a higher glycol-to-water ratio.
Reference this chart in deciding how much glycol is necessary for your product.
Here let's see this glycol water chiller for brewery, -10degress outlet, double screw compressor
Item | Specification / Supplier | ||
Model | AYD-340A | ||
Cooling capacity | kw/h | 629.8 | |
Power input | kw | 396.9 | |
Current | A | 714.5 | |
Temp Outlet (℃) | -10 | ||
Power Supply | 380V-3N-50HZ | ||
refrigerant control | Expansion valve | ||
Refrigeration circle | two | ||
refrigerant | R404A | ||
Dimension（mm）L×W×H | 11800*2000*2200 | ||
Compressor | Style | Semi-hermetic screw type | |
Quantity（set） | 2 | ||
Model | RC2-580B | ||
Compressor Power(kw) | 171.6*2 | ||
Start Way | 100%-75%-50%-25% | ||
Condenser
| Style | Fin | |
Air Volume（m3/h） | 352000 | ||
Fan Qty(pcs) | 16 | ||
Fan Power(kw) | 35.2 | ||
Evaporator | Style | Shell and Tube / 1set | |
Cold water flow（m3/h） | 110 | ||
Pipe size（DN） | 125 | ||
Water Pump(kw) | 18.5 | ||
Protector Device | 1.Phase protector 2.Fan overload protector 3.High/low voltage protector 4.overheat protector 5.Anti-freeze protector | ||
Unit Weight（kg） | 7960 | ||
Main Parts | |||
Compressor | Hanbell | ||
Condenser | Anyda | ||
Evaporator | Jindian | ||
Electronic | LS / Carlo | ||
Expansion Valve | Sanhua | ||
Electrical control | Siemens | ||
Maintenance and Troubleshooting Tips for Glycol Chillers
Chillers are relatively simple machines and require little maintenance, but they are not maintenance-free. Here are the items you need to check to keep the chiller running efficiently.
1. Check Cooling Water: Treat the cooling water with appropriate antibacterial solutions to prevent growth. Regularly monitor the cooling water to ensure it is free of bacteria, has the correct pH level, and has proper levels of chemicals like chlorine.
2. Clean the Condenser: The condenser is the part of the cooler where the refrigerant turns from a liquid back into a gas. Clean the condenser regularly to prevent build-up from damaging the cooler.
3. Clean the Heat Exchanger: Clean the heat exchanger at the same interval as the condenser. The heat exchanger is essential for proper cooling.
4. Check the Flow Rate and Pressure: To ensure proper operation, check the flow rate and pressure of the glycol chiller monthly. A sudden drop in flow rate or pressure may indicate a problem with your chiller.
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