Stainless Conical Fermentors

[R-sole]

This is something i'm looking into for the beer guys (don't tell Fester, he doesn't know how much work i'm planning to dump on him) and i thought it may be usefull for us distillers too.

I'm just after dimensions (as in capacity and size) where the triclover fittings would be etc.

Also ideas as to what sort of interest there'd be in a product of this quality where an olive drum will do?

[Chocaholic]

Something like these looks really good http://conical-fermenter.com/
but it doesn't give the height for the wash take-off-port http://conical-fermenter.com/wp-content ... _151L1.jpg

[adama]

Not saying I'll have the dosh to buy one but, maybe a 20 gallon one to take my 60L ferments.
(as I get old I worry about thinking too small)

height for the wash take-off-port

It should be simple to design the welded on legs easily extended to the owners requirements.

[1080]

For design considerations, the rule of thumb is 25% headspace, on top of about 10% loss for trub and yeast so for 20L final product you would want 27.5 L (20 x 1.1x 1.25) I personally make 40L batches so ~55L would be a great size. I see that blickmann does 14.5 gallon which is in that ballpark. They have a great list of features with explanations http://www.blichmannengineering.com/fermentor/fermentor.html.

Also having a seal capable of taking 3 psi or so of CO2 pressure means it can be used as a conditioning tank, or the CO2 can be used to push product out of the tank. For extra bonus points having a spray ball or nozzle fitting would allow someone to clean and disinfect with a pump, just like the big boys.

Most guys I know cant afford stainless, and end up with plastic. If anyone can get prices down I'm sure you can.

[R-sole]

Not sure if we are going to be able to. The factories won't make them as a basic shape, they want all the features in there, and they are bloody exe to manufacture.

We'll keep trying though. :-D

[adama]

Could the Conical be made to "double up" as a boiler?

Upsidedown Conical.jpg

Have a 4inch triclover ferrule on the pointy end:
1) when pointing down, the ferrule goes to 4" to 2" reducer that incorporates the trub removal valve
2) when pointing up the ferrule attaches to spirit column, maybe using a 4" to 2" reducer.

The beer take-off valve in ferment mode, becomes the Boiler Fill valve in Spirit mode.
The pressure release valve on the dome end of the fermentor gets positioned to the side ~ allows the Conical to be gas heated when the pointy end is UP in Spirit boiler mode.

Another advantage is that the equipment for all intents and purposes is simply a conical fermentor when there are people snooping around. It's only illegal (in most countries) when the pointy end is up.