Boiler steam heat recovery

[JamesF]

I was browsing some of the threads on getting rid of the steam from the boiler last night whilst I couldn't sleep and it struck me that there may be an opportunity for some heat recovery by running the steam through a condenser. Has anyone tried such a thing?

James

[Pinto]

I doubt the possible recovery would justify the expense of the setup required.

[Fil]

a simple blow off tube with its exit in a bucket of water would heat up the water which will contain volatile evaporates such as the dms you boiling off but still should be ok for adding a scoop of oxi for a post brew clean up..
however if would mean sealing the kettle lid (poormans parafilm -ptfe tape perhaps ?)

for a condenser solution running water from a mains source to a hot water tank direct would need a large condenser and slow flow, to use a small condenser you would need to pump and recirculate water which will heat up and loose its condensing capacity at an increasing rate as you go.

pm me if you want a link i cant post in here for condenser calculators (forbiden subject..)

[alexlark]

Sounds like Moonshiners on Discovery

[JamesF]

Ah, yes, I can see why the issue of condensers might be a bit of an iffy subject. Didn't occur to me at the time. If I were doing something like that I certainly wouldn't be posting about it

Just a blow-off tube in a useful volume of water sounds like it might have possibilities, both in terms of heating water and in "disposing" of the steam. Maybe I could make cappuccino at the same time Not entirely comfortable about sealing the boiler lid when it's not somehow open to the atmosphere, but I guess it's not that big a deal if there's no opportunity for pressure to build up.

James

[Hogarth]

Not entirely comfortable about sealing the boiler lid when it's not somehow open to the atmosphere, but I guess it's not that big a deal if there's no opportunity for pressure to build up.

James

Or you could seal it and stick a potato up the blow-off tube. Double brewday fun!

[JamesF]

Aim it through a 1/4" mesh grille and you'd have ready-cooked chips

James