Double Barrel Process

Here's a description of the process for brewing two different 1bbl batches (or you could brew 2bbl of the same beer) at the same time.  This will need some debugging and probably revisions, but this is a good first draft to work with.  For some reason, my brain insists on having the process go from R to L, from K5 to K1.  ... probably the result of some brain damage at some point.  The detailed process below each image might look complicated if you're not already really familiar with the BCS-462 controller and how it controls this system, but I've underlined terms to show that all the brewer is doing manually is pressing/clicking buttons, setting float switch heights, opening/closing valves and stirring the mash. The BCS-462 does the rest.  Note that some of the steps' activities are occurring at the same time.

A more detailed version of the steps is below each image, but here's a simplified version of what's happening.

• 01 - fill up the HLT
• 02 - begin recirculating and heating the HLT
• 03 - dough in K4 mash
• 04 - refill HLT
• 05 - recirculate K4 mash and step temperatures
• 06 - dough in K2 mash
• 07 - refill HLT
• 08 - recirculate K2 mash and step temperatures
• 09 - sparge K4
• 10 - runoff from K4 to K3; boil
• 11 - sparge K2
• 12 - runoff from K2 to K1; boil
• 13 - Whirlpool/Chill K3 wort
• 14 - Whirlpool/Chill K1 wort
• 15 - Send K3 wort to Fermentation Vessel
• 16 - Send K1 wort to Fermentation Vessel

01 - Enable BCS-462's "K5 HLT Sequence" process. Press "Process Continue" button on Main Enclosure (or click Win0 in BCS-462 interface) to enter "K5 HLT Fill" state. BCS-462 controller opens TWH solenoid valve to send 160F water to HLT; Controller closes TWH solenoid valve on K5 float switch signal.

02 - Open valves to prime K5 pump and permit recirculation; Press "Process Continue" button on Main Enclosure (or click Win0 in BCS-462 interface) to fill/heat entering "K5 HLT Fill/Heat" state; BCS-462 turns on K5 pump to begin recirculating HLT water; Controller turns on K5 burner as necessary to raise the water temperature up from 160F to precise strike temperature desired.

03 - After HLT water is at desired temperature, press "Process Pause" button on Main Enclosure (or click Win0 in BCS-462 interface) to stop "K5 HLT Fill/Heat" state; K5 pump remains on; open valves at K5 pump exit and K4 main port; watch K5 sight glass; when Level 1 minus Level 2 equals desired quantity of strike water, close valves and stir mash.

04 - This step can begin anytime after K5 pump exit valve is closed in Step 3; press "Process Continue" button on Main Enclosure (or click Win0 in BCS-462 interface) to fill/heat entering "K5 HLT Fill/Heat" state; BCS-462 controller opens TWH solenoid valve to send 160F water to HLT; Controller closes TWH solenoid valve on K5 float switch signal; Controller turns on K5 burner as necessary to raise the water temperature up from 160F to precise strike temperature desired.

05 - After stirring mash in K4, open valves to prime K4 pump and permit recirculation; Enable BCS-462's "Kettle4" process; click Win0 in BCS-462 interface to start mash steps; Controller turns on K4 pump and K4 burner as necessary to maintain or step up mash temperature; when mash is complete, controller stops K4 pump and K4 burner activity.

06 - After HLT water is at desired temperature, press "Process Pause" button on Main Enclosure (or click Win0 in BCS-462 interface) to stop "K5 HLT Fill/Heat" state; K5 pump remains on; open valves at K5 pump exit and K2 main port; watch K5 sight glass; when Level 1 minus Level 2 equals desired quantity of strike water, close valves and stir mash.

07 - This step can begin anytime after K5 pump exit valve is closed in Step 6; press "Process Continue" button on Main Enclosure (or click Win0 in BCS-462 interface) to fill/heat entering "K5 HLT Fill/Heat" state; BCS-462 controller opens TWH solenoid valve to send 160F water to HLT; Controller closes TWH solenoid valve on K5 float switch signal; Controller turns on K5 burner as necessary to raise the water temperature up from 160F to precise sparge water temperature desired.

08 - After stirring mash in K2, open valves to prime K2 pump and permit recirculation; Enable BCS-462's "Kettle2" process; click Win0 in BCS-462 interface to start mash steps; Controller turns on K2 pump and K2 burner as necessary to maintain or step up mash temperature; when mash is complete, controller stops K2 pump and K2 burner activity.

09 - set float switch on K4 to desired height; open valve at K5 pump exit to send sparge water to K4 return port; open valve to permit wort to exit K4 main port and prime pump; enable "Kettle4" process; click Win1 in BCS-462 interface to start sparge; Controller turns on K4 pump and opens/closes K4 return port solenoid valve as indicated by K4 float switch signals.

10 - open valve at K3 main port (set butterfly valve position to control runoff speed); set float switch on K3 to desired height; enable "Kettle3" process; click Win2 in BCS-462 interface to start preboil; turn on/off K3 burner manually as necessary to ramp up close to boil; Controller turns off K4 pump when K3 float switch signals that desired volume has been reached; close valves; begin boil.

11 - set float switch on K2 to desired height; open valve at K5 pump exit to send sparge water to K2 return port; open valve to permit wort to exit K2 main port and prime pump; enable "Kettle2" process; click Win1 in BCS-462 interface to start sparge; Controller turns on K2 pump and opens/closes K2 return port solenoid valve as indicated by K2 float switch signals.

12 - open valve at K1 main port (set butterfly valve position to control runoff speed); set float switch on K1 to desired height; enable "Kettle1" process; click Win2 in BCS-462 interface to start preboil; turn on/off K1 burner manually as necessary to ramp up close to boil; Controller turns off K2 pump when K1 float switch signals that desired volume has been reached; close valves; begin boil.

13 - At completion of boil, turn off K3 burner; open valves to permit recirculation from K3 main port to K3 return port; enable "Kettle3" process; click Win3 in BCS-462 interface to start Chill/Whirlpool process; Controller turns on K3 pump to begin wort recirculation whirlpool; Controller opens K3 chiller inlet solenoid valve to allow cold water into chiller coil; when desired temp is reached, process is automatically disabled, turning off valve/pump; allow wort to settle.

14 - At completion of boil, turn off K1 burner; open valves to permit recirculation from K1 main port to K1 return port; enable "Kettle1" process; click Win3 in BCS-462 interface to start Chill/Whirlpool process; Controller turns on K1 pump to begin wort recirculation whirlpool; Controller opens K1 chiller inlet solenoid valve to allow cold water into chiller coil; when desired temp is reached, process is automatically disabled, turning off valve/pump; allow wort to settle.

15 - Turn on K3 pump to send wort to fermenter; turn off K3 pump when complete.

16 - Turn on K1 pump to send wort to fermenter; turn off K1 pump when complete.