Increase Glycol Flow/volume

[Conan]

Hi folks,

We're having a bit of trouble with our glycol flow. We have a 1/2 hp jet pump with a 3/4" NPT inlet and a 1/2" NPT outlet which pumps glycol from the resevoir up our lines and through our 6 15bbl Unitanks and 3 15 bbl Brites oonly to return to the resevoir with absolutely no pressure. We are finding that we have next to no flow through our last tank and we have to flip the other tanks solenoids on and off to get the flow going.

If we change the pump to 2hp, increase the inlet to 1 1/2"(Triclamp) and outlet to 1" (Triclamp), would this resolve the matter at all?

Thanks,

Conan

[jimvgjr]

Do you have, or can you get, a copy of the pump curve for your existing 1/2 HP pump?

Is there a way to record how much flow you are currently getting (maybe disconnect the return and time the volume as it fills into a 5 gallon bucket?). make sure you do this with your maximum amount of tanks ON and calling for cooling.

If we know the flow and have a copy of the pump curve, it'll tell us what kind of piping load we are facing and would make the selection process for a new pump easier.

I don't know how viable it would be, but re-piping the return header so the first Fermenter fed with glycol is the last Fermenter to feed into the return would help even out the flow. An illustration diagram can be found here http://www.probrewer.com/resources/r...ion/glycol.php

It definitely sounds like a big duty for a 1/2 HP pump, I'd be concerned just jumping to a 2 HP pump without knowing more. You don't want to over pressurize the jackets.

Good Luck,

Jim