Anyone tried using a TC clamp inside a boiler?

[Steve Broady]

Yes, I know. Another of my crazy ideas. I spend too much time at work thinking about all sorts of things that I could try, and then wondering if I’ve actually come up with something new or just something dumb.

On two separate occasions now, I’ve found myself thinking about wanting to have some plumbing inside a boiler, but also wanting the ability to take that plumbing apart or modify it as needed. Which led me to thinking about putting a TC flange, gasket, and clamp on it. Assuming that the clamp hardware is all stainless, I can’t immediately see a problem with that, but I’ve also never seen it done before. I have this little niggling feeing that there’s a good reason for that. I didn’t find anything in a search, so I’m asking. Just how crazy am I?

[zach]

I have a punch that will knock out a hole in thin walled stainless

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125175144745?h ... BM-Imtip1h

Then I use this bulkhead fitting.



Then I thread this tri clamp fitting on the bulkhead instead of the lock nut.



I have a milk can I use for a fermenter / boiler and have the tri clamp fitting on the inside to attach an internal steam pipe.

I've installed a number of bulkhead fittings on brew kettles, lids, and fermenters and would not think of using a a drill again

[Steve Broady]

I have a milk can I use for a fermenter / boiler and have the tri clamp fitting on the inside to attach an internal steam pipe.

The punch looks interesting, and I will have to see if I can find one that cuts a 1.25” hole. But the comment above is what I’m really interested in. Have you had any problems having the clamp submerged inside the boiler? Is it in pure water, or in your wash?

[Salt Must Flow]

There's no reason why you can't do what you are asking. It's just the exterior of stainless rather than the interior of the stainless. The clamp is stainless so it's not an issue at all.

I have no idea what you are considering, but I assume that you are thinking about plumbing straight through one side of the keg, out through the other and linking copper between the two? Another way to achieve the same thing would be to wind a single or double wound coil like a reflux condenser and insert it straight into the keg like you would a heating element. That would only require one ferrule, not two. Also keeps the clamp on the exterior rather than the interior.

[zach]

I have a milk can I use for a fermenter / boiler and have the tri clamp fitting on the inside to attach an internal steam pipe.

The punch looks interesting, and I will have to see if I can find one that cuts a 1.25” hole. But the comment above is what I’m really interested in. Have you had any problems having the clamp submerged inside the boiler? Is it in pure water, or in your wash?

I use a keg to supply the steam. The milk can is a stripper for my fruit brandy pomace.

The bulkhead is above the liquid level on the side of the can, so it's exposed to high proof vapor when I use it as a stripper. If the connection were below the liquid level, then you need a valve, which is something I try to avoid on steam lines. My condenser is mounted on a separate connection on the lid.

I use a teflon gasket, no problem with the clamp.. I wrapped the o-ring on the bulkhead with teflon.

I'm looking at using the same bulkhead arrangement with internal connections for a removable wine preheater coil in another stockpot

[Steve Broady]

Well, at least it sounds like I’m not completely off my rocker.

In case you’re curious, I’ll describe the mail that spawned this question. I make zero claims to it being a good idea, or even well thought out. I was considering steam stripping, but feeding steam into the boiler via a port low down in the side instead of up high. And then, in order to avoid issues with condensation, have the steam come out of the steam boiler via a matching port, so that the two can simply be clamped directly together (via appropriate intervening fittings, if needed). Then inside the steam boiler, have a pipe which rises from the bottom to the top, so that the steam would travel down and across into the bottom of the alcohol boiler. It’s exactly the same arrangement as a normal thumper, but with all the plumbing internal for thermal reasons. And of course I could do all that easily enough without any internal clamps, but making the internal plumbing modular would make it easier to clean, store, and to modify to suit different needs in the future.

Like I said, no claim that it’s a good idea. But it got me thinking and wondering.

[zach]

I thought about the lower direct connection between boiler and stripper, then thought of clean up after a run.

I want the ability to take the milk can and dump the contents in the compost pile. I would need on a valve on the steam inlet to keep the liquid in the can when I'm moving it if the connection was low.

I do not want valves on steam input lines as it could cause a problem if I forget to open the valve at the start of the run.

I use the milk can as a fermenter for grapes / red wine so it's nice not to have the steam piping in the way during the ferment.

[cob]

Am I correct thinking the tube in the boiler is just an open tube, or blind with holes ... etc. Not a through tube.

[Steve Broady]

Am I correct thinking the tube in the boiler is just an open tube, or blind with holes ... etc. Not a through tube.

That’s the plan, yes. Penetrating the wall at the bottom, then turning vertical so that the opening is as near the top as possible. The goal being to reduce the exposed surface area and this condensation and hopefully prevent over filling the thumper/spirit boiler.

[cob]

Am I correct thinking the tube in the boiler is just an open tube, or blind with holes ... etc. Not a through tube.

That’s the plan, yes. Penetrating the wall at the bottom, then turning vertical so that the opening is as near the top as possible. The goal being to reduce the exposed surface area and this condensation and hopefully prevent over filling the thumper/spirit boiler.

the boiler not the steam generator

[Ben]

There is all kinds of stuff integrated into various pots in dairy, brewing, petroleum distillation, etc. Clamps are normally on the outside for cleaning and sanitary reasons.

With the triclamp clamp on the outside, it's easy to get to (imagine your steam inlet getting plugged during a run, and having to empty the mash to undo your clamp, which is now a sticky icky and probably hot mess). You just plus size the triclamp a little bigger than the thing you want inside and pass it through the external triclamp. You can modify a block plate to take whatever you want, or get one that is threaded on both sides, lots of configurations.