REFRIGERATION OF WORTS

. In August, 1826, Mr. Yandall obtained a patent for an apparatus designed for cooling worts and other hot fluids, without exposing them to evaporation. Utensils employed for this purpose, are generally called refrigerators, and are so constructed, that a quantity of cold water shall be brought in contact with the ve el which contains the heated fluid. But in every construction of refrigerator heretofore used, the quantity of cold water nece arily employed in the operation, greatly exceeded the quantity of the fluid cooled, which, in some situations, where water cannot be readily obtained, was a serious impediment and objection to the use of such apparatus. The inventor has contrived a mode of constructing a refrigerator, so that any quantity of wort or other hot fluid may be cooled by an equal quantity of cool water; the proce being performed with great expedition, simply by pa ing the two fluids through very narrow pa ages, in opposite directions, the result of which is, that the cold liquor imbibes the heat from the wort, or other fluid, and the temperature of the hot fluid is reduced in the same ratio. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1064.png:Coolers IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1065a.png:Cooler Figs. 932 , 933 , and 934. represent different forms in which the apparatus is proposed to be made. The two first have zigzag pa ages; the third, channels running in convolute curves. These channels or pa ages are of very small capacity in thickne , but of great length, and of any breadth that may be required, according to the quantity of fluid intended to be cooled or heated. Fig. 935. is the section of a portion of the apparatus shown at figs. 932. and 933. upon an enlarged scale; it is made by connecting three sheets of copper or any other thin metallic plates together, leaving parallel spaces between each plate for the pa age of the fluids, represented by the black lines. These spaces are formed by occasionally introducing between the plates thin straps, ribs, or portions of metal, by which means very thin channels are produced, and through these channels the fluids are intended to be pa ed, the cold liquor running in one direction, and the hot in the reverse direction. Supposing that the pa ages for the fluids are each one-eighth of an inch thick, then the entire length for the run of the fluid should be about 80 feet, the breadth of the apparatus being made according to the quantity of fluid intended to be pa ed through it in a given time. If the channels are made a quarter of an inch thick, then their length should be extended to 160 feet; and any other dimensions in similar proportions: but a larger channel than one quarter of an inch, the patentee considers would be objectionable. It is, however, to be observed, that the length here recommended, is under the consideration, that the fluids are driven through the apparatus by some degree of hydrostatic pre ure from a head in the delivery-vats above; but if the fluids flow without pre ure, then the lengths of the pa ages need not be quite so great. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1065b.png:Cooler In the apparatus constructed as shown in perspective at fig. 932. , and further developed by the section, fig. 935. , cold water is to be introduced at the funnel a , whence it pa es down the pipe b , and through a long slit or opening in the side of the pipe, into the pa age c , c (see fig. 935. ), between the plates, where it flows in a horizontal direction through the channel towards the discharge-pipe d . When such a quantity of cold water has pa ed through the funnel a , as shall have filled the channel c , c , up to the level of the top of the apparatus, the cock e being shut, then the hot wort or liquor intended to be cooled, may be introduced at the funnel f , and which, descending in the pipe g , pa es in a similar manner to the former, through a long slit or opening in the side of the pipe g , into the extended pa age h , h (see fig. 935. ), and from thence proceeds horizontally into the discharge-pipe i . The two cocks e and k , being now opened, the wort or other liquor is drawn off, or otherwise conducted away through the cock k , and the water through e . If the apertures of the two cocks e and k , are equal, and the channels equal also, it follows that the same quantity of wort, ., will flow through the channel h , h , h , in a given time, as of water through the channel c , c ; and by the hot fluid pa ing through the apertures in contact with the side of the channel which contains the cold fluid, the heat becomes abstracted from the former, and communicated to the latter; and as the hot fluid enters the apparatus at that part which is in immediate contact with the part where the cooling fluid is discharged, and the cold fluid enters the apparatus at that part where the wort is discharged, the consequence is, that the wort or other hot liquor becomes cooled down towards its exit-pipe nearly to the temperature of cold water; and the temperature of the water, at the reverse end of the apparatus, becomes raised nearly to that of the boiling wort. It only remains to observe, that by partially closing either of the exit-cocks, the quantity of heat abstracted from one fluid, and communicated to the other, may be regulated; for instance, if the cock e of the water-pa age be partially closed, so as to diminish the quantity of cold water pa ed through the apparatus, the wort or other hot fluid conducted through the other pa ages will be discharged at a higher temperature, which in some cases will be desirable, when the refrigerated liquor is to be fermented. Fig. 933. exhibits an apparatus precisely similar to the foregoing, but different in its position; for instance, the zigzag channels are made in obliquely descending planes. a is the funnel for the hot liquor, whence it descends through the pipe d into the channel c , c (see fig. 935. ), and ultimately is discharged through the pipe b , at the cock e . The cold water being introduced into the funnel f , and pa ing down the pipe i , enters the zigzag channel h , h , and, rising through the apparatus, runs off by the pipe g , and is discharged at the cock below. The pa ages of this apparatus for heating and cooling fluids, may be bent into various contorted figures; one form found particularly convenient under some applications, is that represented at fig. 934. , which is contained in a cylindrical case. The pa ages here run in convolute curves, the one winding in a spiral to the centre, the other receding from the centre. The wort or other hot liquor intended to be cooled, is to be introduced at the funnel a , and pa ing down the pipe b , is delivered into the open pa age c , which winds round to the central chamber d , and is thence discharged through the pipe e , at the cock f . The cold water enters the apparatus at the funnel g , and proceeding down the pipe h , enters the closed channel i , and after traversing round through the apparatus, is in like manner discharged through the pipe k , at the cock l . Or the hot liquor may be pa ed through the closed channel, and the cold through the open one; or these chambers may be both of them open at top, and the apparatus covered by a lid when at work, the principal design of which is to afford the convenience of cleaning them more readily than could be done if they were closed; or they may be both closed. A similar ingenious apparatus for cooling brewers’ worts, or wash for distillers, and also for condensing spirits in place of the ordinary worm tub, is called by the inventor, Mr. Wheeler, an Arch i me des condenser, or refrigerator, the peculiar novelty of which consists in forming the chambers for the pa age of the fluids in spiral channels, winding round a central tube, through which spiral channels the hot and cold fluids are to be pa ed in opposite directions. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1065c.png:Refrigerator Fig. 936. represents the external appearance of the refrigerator, enclosed in a cylindrical case; fig. 937. , the same, one-half of the case being removed to show the form of the apparatus within; and fig. 938. , a section cut through the middle of the apparatus perpendicularly, for the purpose of displaying the internal figure of the spiral channels. The apparatus is proposed to be made of sheet copper, tinned on its surface, and is formed by cutting circular pieces of thin copper, or segments of circles, and connecting them together by rivets, solder, or by any other convenient means, as coppersmiths usually do; these circular pieces of copper being united to one another, in the way of a spiral or screw, form the chambers through which the fluids are to pa within, in an ascending or descending inclined plane. In figs. 937. and 938. , a , a , is the central tube or standard (of any diameter that may be found convenient), round which the spiral chambers are to be formed; b , b , are the sides of the outer case, to which the edges of the spiral fit closely, but need not be attached; c , c , are two of the circular plates of copper, connected together by rivets at the edges, in the manner shown, or by any other suitable means; d , is the chamber, formed by the two sheets of copper, and which is carried round from top to bottom in a spiral or circular inclined plane, by a succe ion of circular plates connected to each other. The hot fluid is admitted into the spiral chamber d , through a trumpet or wide-mouthed tube e , at top, and is discharged at bottom by an aperture and cock f . The cold water which is to be employed as the cooling material, is to be introduced through the pipe g , in the centre, from whence discharging itself by a hole at bottom, the cold water occupies the interior of the cylindrical case b , and rises in the spiral pa age h , between the coils of the chamber, until it ascends to the top of the ve el, and then it flows away by a spout i , seen in fig. 936. It will be perceived that the hot fluid enters the apparatus at top, and the cold fluid at bottom, pa ing each other, by means of which an interchange of temperatures takes place through the plates of copper, the cooling fluid pa ing off at top in a heated state, by means of the caloric which it has abstracted from the hot fluid; and the hot fluid pa ing off through the pipe and cock at bottom, in a very reduced state of temperature, by reason of the caloric which it held having been given out to the cooling fluid. IMG:4147767755307473660_illo1066.png:Cooler Fig. 939. is a side view and section of Wagenmann’s apparatus for cooling worts; fig. 940. , a view from above. The preceding contrivances seem to be far preferable. a , a , is the tub for receiving the apparatus, whose central upright shaft b , rests upon a step c , in the bottom, and revolves at top in a bush at d , made fast to a bar e , fixed flat acro the mouth of the tub. The shaft may be driven by the two bevel wheels f , f , at right angles to each other, and the horizontal rod turned by hand; or the whole may be impelled by any power. g , is an iron basin for receiving the cold water from the spout h , supplied by a well; it flows out of the basin through two tubes i i , down into the lower part of the cooler k k . The cooler consists of two flat ve els, both of which are formed of a flat interior plate, and an arched exterior one, so that their transverse section is plano-convex. The water which flows along the tubes i i , spreads itself upon the bottom of the cooler, and then rises through the scabbard-shaped tubes l l , ., into the upper annular ve el m m ; whence it is urged by hydrostatic pre ure, in a now heated state, through the slanting tubes n n , which terminate in the common pipe o , of the annular basin p p , and is thence discharged by the pipe q . The basin p p , is supported by the two bearers r , made fast to the cro -beam e . There is in the lowest part of the hollow ring at bottom, a screw plug, which may be opened when it is desired to discharge the whole contents, and to wash it with a stream of water.