A properly designed plate will have slots which vary in size which will allow sparge water to be evenly drawn through the bed during run off. The slots are smaller closer to the draw point. Slots are smaller near the draw point and gradually increase in length. Slots nearest the suction point might be a half inch in length, slots can be as long as an inch and a half and even longer near the outer edge of the plate. Slot lengths are determined by the diameter of the plate, pump GPM and bed depth to tun diameter ratio. A plate used for producing Lager uses a gap sized differently than a plate designed for Ale.
There will be a depression in the bed at the point where suction is higher. Adjusting the slots will correct the occurance. Use a feeler gauge to set the gaps in the plate. Also, slide two O-rings on the draw tube. Place one O-ring between the plate and the washer and the other O-ring on top of the washer. Slide the top O-ring down and ensure that it holds the washer tightly to the bottom O-ring and tightly to the plate.
Something to keep in mind, the bed formed from single infusion and step are not the same as a bed formed from decoction. Single infusion and step beds form differently due to air in the husk and once the bed forms it shouldn't be stirred. When a recirc type system is used along with an unbalanced plate, hot spots occur where draw is strongest, cold spots are in the low circ. rate areas. Stirring the mash becomes crucial in order to stabilize temperature. However, a recirc system is basically single infusion stepped by heating and recirculating the liquid beneath the plate, by stirring the mash to stabilize temperature, the bed compacts during recirc and during run off and it can stick. An issue with a bed formed from a brewing method that does not require boiling the mash is that more solid matter and protein goop is transferred to the tun, which causes issues during recirc and run off.
Have a GREAT Holiday!!!Statistics: Posted by Das alte — Sun May 29, 2016 3:09 pm
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