We're starting a small creamery and will buy a 40+ gallon steam kettle (or two) instead of a vat to save on initial start-up costs. The kettles will have their own water heater. Can someone please walk me through (in detail) how you retrofit the kettle to circulate hot water? What are the biggest challenges? Thanks!!!
What do you mean the kettles will have their own water heater? Because that statement means you purchases a self-contained unit with built in electric elements or gas burners. Do you mean that you have a separate water heater, and are using that in place of steam?
If the latter, it's easy. You build a closed loop, include diaphragm for expansion due to the heat, and use a circulating pump with on/off controls. You can also use PLC and a more sophisticated temp control system, like auto on/off.
When you say in detail, what do you mean? How much knowledge of plumbing code and piping/plumbing systems do you have?
If you really want help, post your setup, in detail, including heater size, kettle model, pipe runs, etc, and then ask more specific questions. And then after you have a design, hire a plumber to engineer and install the solution, because it has to comply to local code, which might be NSPC, ICC, RBC, or some combination. If you don't do the installation right, you likely risk having your insurance not cover damages.
Yup, the latter. The water heater will provide water to the vat and our two sinks (handwash and 3-comp).
I'll work on the details and re-post if we have any problems. Just knowing we can do it saves me a huge headache.
Thank you.
Run your plan by the inspector (dairy), and submit for permit (local building board) first before building it out. Shouldn't be hard, diagram out the water lines, valves, pump, and list a schedule of all your sizes and pipe specs (304 SS, etc). Many people run their first vats this way, it's very cheap to do. The build is a little different when using instant heaters, but the principles are the same.