Radiator + Keg

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Odinson88
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Radiator + Keg

Post by Odinson88 »

Looked into an idea of using a radiator to cool my liebig, but have a 2nd idea too (dual purpose). Has anyone tried this? Does theory make sense?

I was looking at using a 20/30 liter keg, wrap it in copper coil, then connect it to radiator. Keg would have alcohol in it with a ball valve at base. Theory would be that radiator set up would cool the alcohol to nicely chilled. I would imagine that an insulated bubble wrap or such would aid in the efficiency.

Does anyone have experience or knowledge on this?

Cheers
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Tater
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by Tater »

Not sure what your after. A air-cooled condenser to cool cooling water will only get to ambient air temp at best
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by Odinson88 »

Tater wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 5:10 pm Not sure what your after. A air-cooled condenser to cool cooling water will only get to ambient air temp at best
I'm currently cooling my still (via liebig) using ice water. This is easy right now, given its winter. Summer I could make pails of ice with freezer.

Idea was to replace this via using a radiator instead. Also use radiator setup to cool a mini keg at outdoor parties.

I did find this as a reference...

Image
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Tater
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by Tater »

Search found 168 matches: Radiator for Cooling Reservoir
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by T-Boon »



You can see this guys setup on a 100l still in the background, so should keep everything room temp or just under.
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NZChris
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by NZChris »

T-Boon wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 12:04 pm You can see this guys setup on a 100l still in the background, so should keep everything room temp or just under.
It is impossible to cool to less than ambient with radiators and fans. To get below ambient, you need some type of heat pump or evaporative cooler.

Please note that the video is an interview of a newbie doing his first runs, not an experienced distiller who knows his stuff. If you want entertainment from inexperienced newbies, Youtube is the place to find it :(
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Birrofilo
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by Birrofilo »

For what I understand, the air-cooling mechanism posted in the video actually works.

Ambient temperature is enough to knock down your vapours, the problem is to have "enough" air or exchange surface or condenser lenght.

The radiator trick will work if correctly performed.

Here on the forum there is another thread about a similar contraption, fins applied to the liebig condenser and fans helping the works of the fins. It's like the normal air-cooling of a computer CPU, which can reach pretty high temperatures.

This can be a good solution if your water supply is scarce or expensive, and if you are paranoid about abnormal water consumption leading attention to you from the authorities.
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by v-child »

I use a aluminum transmission cooler built into a box with a 12" fan blowing through it. It'll make it most of the way through a five gallon boiler run, then I dump ice in the bucket. Why do you need to chill the alcohol?
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goinbroke2
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by goinbroke2 »

Of course air cooling will work as will ambient temp. Ever see an”air distiller”? They sell them everywhere here, basically an electric kettle with a condenser coil and fan on top.

I’ve ran my 57L and 114L stills (water) with product temps from warm to ice cold by varying the water flow. Did it make a difference? Well the temp messed up the hydrometer lol. As far as what’s “needed” though, as long as it’s not too warm and evaporating it doesn’t matter.

You’re boiling a liquid, cooling it back to a liquid...that’s it.
I thought of building a condenser about 30-40’ long by running copper tube horizontally along the garage wall. If it was mounted permanently to the wall, less set up. Tube inlet at the ceiling and a slight slope to the back of the garage and then two elbows and back to the front on another slight downward angle. Roll the still up, connect to the wall at the condenser and plug in the power, I’m in business!
But... moved, and now I live on a lake with unlimited water resources.

But yes, air cooling will work.
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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goinbroke2
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by goinbroke2 »

Lol, just reread the first post....different scenario than what we’re thinking.
Op wants to chill alcohol in a keg with a rad. Totally different than knocking steam back into a liquid, my bad for not reading it better before posting.

I am not an a/c tech, so I can’t honestly comment. My opinion though would be, you need a refrigerant to extract heat from ambient. In that, cars can put out “ice cold” air from the a/c from hot outside air, but that’s due to being under pressure as well as using a liquid that transfers heat better than water. Antifreeze for example would cool better than water, but I’d still be doubtful if it would take it to anything much below ambient.
I suppose if you ran coolant and had a couple of rads and fans from a tractor trailer...?
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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Birrofilo
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by Birrofilo »

I don't think the OP wants to put alcohol inside a common radiator. That's on page 1 of the manual of what must not be done. He is saying he wants to cool his Liebig. For what I understand, the problem is cooling the cooling water.

If he wants to cool his drinkable product, he needs something like this to put inside his product:
https://www.polsinelli.it/piastra-refri ... -P1466.htm

Then he would have to pump something like water or other liquid inside it and cool it with a radiator or some other means.

I understand cooling beer for a lager-style fermentation. I don't understand cooling alcohol.
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NZChris
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by NZChris »

How well any radiator & fan system works depends on your ambient temperature on stilling day. What works in winter may not be enough in summer. Oversize your condenser and neither should be a problem.
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by Odinson88 »

To clarify:

Yes, my primary purpose is to cool my liebig. As far as cooling a keg of alcohol, that was a secondary thought. the purpose was to chill a 1/4 keg of mixed beverage, or to chill beer, etc. when at outdoor parties.

but yes, my primary is to cool my liebig. Town water costs a fortune here. Aside from freezing 5gal pails of ice, putting the ice into a 15 gal barrel plus water... Just looking for other options.
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NZChris
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by NZChris »

You won't chill beer by just blowing ambient air at something. Blowing air over a swamp cooler will get you much cooler water. Try circulating the water over sacking, or a screen, and blowing air at that.
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by Odinson88 »

NZChris wrote: Mon Mar 15, 2021 2:55 pm You won't chill beer by just blowing ambient air at something. Blowing air over a swamp cooler will get you much cooler water. Try circulating the water over sacking, or a screen, and blowing air at that.
are you referring to the hillbilly beer cooler? (Beer can in a wet sock, hanging from a branch in a breezy area)?
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NZChris
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Re: Radiator + Keg

Post by NZChris »

Yes, but on a larger scale. The method has come up on the forum a few times.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALe ... CAg&uact=5
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