Stirrer, not Agitator...

Myles

@grim, hot air? You don't even need an air compressor. A simple squirel cage blower and a heater and you could do this. You could probably get an inline fan and heater from your local hydroponic growing shop.

grim

I've got plenty of hot air!!

No no, my comments are entirely around adding an agitator to an existing still boiler (except the cordless drill post). The direct air injection approach isn't for heating, but pure agitation, without the complexity associated with a mechanical shaft seal.

CothermanDistilling

ahem.... see post title: "Stirrer, not Agitator..."

grim

What am I missing?

CothermanDistilling

just being a smartass since you specify you are talking about what I did not want to talk about in the thread ;-)

grim

What's the difference? I'm confused. The terms are used interchangeably.

CothermanDistilling

I think I could stir without agitating, and I think I could agitate without stirring, no?

Anyway, a light bit of movement such as slow stirring from a small device that does not put too much stain on the tri-clamp, and needs no more of a seal than any pump in the system, could put flow across the elements and keep them from the micro-boiling/cavitation that is making the noise and could damage the product, equipment, or both....

punkin

I can see the difference tween a stirrer and an agitator. In fact when i saw the thread title i said to myself 'Here we go' thinking of a stirrer in the political or forum sense versus an agitator. :D

grim

Agitator throws molotov cocktails, stirrer is what I use to mix my rum swizzle.

punkin

@grim said: Agitator throws molotov cocktails, stirrer is what I use to mix my rum swizzle behind the agitator saying he throws like a girl.

Fixed that for you. =))

captainshooch

I thought @punkin was the grand master stirrer.. :))

punkin

Tater thought i was an agitator. L-)

Ginger

what about expanding on the magnetic stirrer some people would be familiar with. (mines a computer fan with magnets and a variable speed dial).

It removes the need for seals and would just be a matter of matching the size of the stir bar to the size of the vessel.

TheMechWarrior

@punkin, how much would it cost to add the stock agitator kit to the 380L?

CothermanDistilling

the problem is that the standard 380L wall thickness is 2mm , and not reinforced, the one with the agitator is 3mm thick and specially designed for an agitator...

Diesellover

I really think SD needs to help come up with something that mounts to a tri-clamp for stirring during warm up!!!

grim

Quick search on Alibaba shows that Dongguan Nosen M&E Technology Co., Ltd. might be a potential supplier. Maybe after Chinese New Year someone can reach out to see what they offer?

CothermanDistilling

Ok, first, thank you @Diesellover , I had all but given up that someone else wanted this...

Second, a wacky idea.. have a single fitting pump module made for a mag-drive pump.. picture a leibig-style fitting on pump front end that just clamps on where an element goes, has a 3/4" or so pipe that goes in a few inches and directs to the side... this is the pump outlet, the inlet is the area around the outlet... this could be a welded after thought or a custom cast pump head for something like a chugger or march pump

Myles

I did once see an inverted funnel type arangement inside a boiler. This collected the heated wash and pushed it into a smaller volume. End result was that it established a circulation in the boiler that forced a flow of wash past the heated surface. They were using a sumerged steam coil for heating. The increased velocity past the coil helped keep it clean.

Lloyd

@Diesellover said: I really think SD needs to help come up with something that mounts to a tri-clamp for stirring during warm up!!!

Working on it but its really hard. The 2" ferrule was never meant to take the torque of an agitator and 0.2 Kw applied to a 2" ferrule is, as far as I can tell, the limit that the motor can exert. If that is enough torque for the time expended to develop this is yet to be seen. And price is nowhere in sight as this is only an idea with any kind of minimum order quantity to be established - and MOQ has a Huge impact on cost.

Like I said, still working on it.

Myles

I still think air injection would be an easy option. I used to empty an earlier double boiler by pumping in air. you ever see one of those air injected marine salvage silt movers at work? The bubbles inside the tube move large volumes of water. I am sure that concept could be used for an agitator inside a boiler.

Lloyd

Something as simple as this?

andy

I am a newcomer to the group and was browsing the site at Mike's suggestion. I have a 380 liter direct heated tank and am using a chugger pump with stainless head, connected through the bottom drain and returning through the front element port. I am using Goodyear Fortress brew hose with Microban rated up to 250 degrees. Although a small volume pump, it was all I could find to keep the mash circulating and does help offer circulation assistance beyond convection.

Andy

punkin

Thanks for the contribution Andy and welcome.

CothermanDistilling

is that 1" ID hose?

I can let you test a larger pump ...

CothermanDistilling

sent in a request to Fusion Fluid

Smaug

Yeah that's a nice little unit. How may RPMs?

Also, What pic is that? do you know who's kettle that is?

grim

Looks like a tiny variable speed brushed motor, no gear reduction. Guessing variable to 600 or so. Impeller has got to be tiny too.

Smaug

Maybe a chain or hinged set of beater bars?

punkin

Wonder how they stop the whole lot spinning in the TC? Must be low torque i'm wagering.