Oversized Burner & Boil Over

[porter]

I was wondering if anyone has experience with their kettle constantly boiling over. I'm walking into a new position at a brewpub where the brewer stands with a hose spraying down the kettle for the entire boil. Needless to say, I don't want to do this and shouldn't have to.

The kettle is direct fire and my guess is that there is no regulator or adjustment valve to tone down the flame. There is an on/off switch on the control panel and that's it.

The system is a 14 bbl Specific Mechanical and I have an email out to them.
Can I just call a local boiler guy and have a valve or regulator installed? Can I get something in place to crank it up when I'm getting to boil and then tone it down later? Do I have to worry about getting efficient combustion if I change anything?

Thanks,
porter

[scott isham]

Use a kettle defoamer. Much easier and cheaper.

[gitchegumee]

You will have a regulator between the gas source and the burner--no matter if it's natural gas or propane. Same sort of device as on a propane grill tank. Read any information on your burner and find out what the allowable pressures are on the supply. Usually measured in inches of water. Put a tee in your gas line and install a low pressure gauge to show you the supply pressure. Then use your regulator to adjust the flame to your liking. That should do it. Good luck!

[imakewort]

Fermcap from Crosby & Baker

[canyon]

Personal preference, but I would treat the problem from the source instead of the symptom. Fermcap etc. is like a pain reliever prescription for a head ache when actually you are just dehydrated and need water/electrolytes. Even a well placed manual valve can give you the control you need. Get a gas plumber involved if you aren't one. But even then, you may still need to spray h20 right after adding hops (pellets in particular). Be glad you don't have the opposite problem!:)

[sbradt]

It's possible that there are different gas orifices available for your burner that would adjust the over-all heat output, depending upon the type of burner, I'd be leery of simply cranking the gas pressure up or down. You may not end up with the correct mix of gas and combustion air and it could cause sooting on the bottom of the kettle which can result in metal failure in the floor if left unattended for too long (been there - $$$$$). Find a qualified HVAC tech who can look at your gas pressure and analyze your flue gasses and temperatures to get the proper fuel air mix and optimize your burner output. Your best bet will be to find a company that works with boilers a lot. They are the most likely to have the equipment and expertise. They should be able to look at the gas flow and the stack temperature and determine how many BTUs are actually being applied to your process as opposed to going straight up the stack (one of the biggest problems with direct fire). Some math will allow you to determine whether or not there is, indeed, too much heat being applied for the purpose and make adjustments accordingly.

[porter]

I found a valve! I went crawling around underneath the platform and found a valve on the gas line right before it enters the base of the kettle.

I'm not sure about what it does to the flue gases but I can crank it up and down to control the intensity.I had it purring like a kitten yesterday and amazed the current brewer...

Thanks to everyone who offered solutions. I'm sure I'll have more questions about other things soon.

Porter