Ask The Brewmasters

Hi All you Legends,

I am having issues with my drum of 88% caustic crystalizing on these cold Alberta nights. Unfortunately the room at the back of the building where my chemicals are stored is poorly insulated as it is has a large garage door. Has anyone had success with a homemade solution for keeping your chemical drums warm? I am limited on space so, moving the drum is not really an option. 

So far we have come up with wrapping the drum in an electric blanket. Love to hear what you brewers in other cold climates have come up with.

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Stewart Brown
Director of Brewing Operations
Banff Hospitality Collective
Banff, Alberta
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Hi Stewart,

The caustic freezing or crystallization point varies with the concentration of the NaOH in your cleaner. Saturation point is just over 50%, so your caustic is lower than 50% if liquid. I assume you are likely around 40%, which is common for chelated caustic CIP cleaners. Caustic is most vulnerable to freezing around 39%.  

There are drum heaters for metal drums but I assume yours is plastic. The solution here is a heated electric blanket wrapped around the drum. 

If you are looking for a chemical solution that does not involve heating, you can contact me directly. 

Cheers,

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Dirk Loeffler
Executive Vice President
Technical Operations
SEKA Chemicals
(404) 229-7583
loeffler.dirk@sekachemicals.com
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Hi Stewart,

Before it freezes, adding water to concentrated caustic to bring the concentration down to 30% as NaOH is an easy fix to lower the freezing point down to about 32 d. F. (0 d. C.). Alternatively, adding 45% KOH (potassium hydroxide, aka "caustic potash") to concentrated NaOH (sodium hydroxide) can also help lower the freezing point of the concentrated sodium hydroxide.  Hope this helps.

Dana

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Dana Johnson He/Him
Technical Manager, Craft Brewing
Diversey - A Solenis Company
Henderson, CO
800.233.1000
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Hi Stewart, 

...while you should be able to find drum heating bands and drum heating blankets at an industrial supply (we might use Grainger, here in the States), there are probably other less expensive options you might pursue at the hardware store or home improvement center? As a homeowner in a northern climate, the type of heat tracing which one might use to keep ice dams from forming on the eves of one's roof springs to mind? It might be wort a little research to see if something like that might be suitable? Alternatively, I am thinking back to home brewing...and the electric heating belts and wraps which can be used to keep a fermentation in a glass carboy warmer than ambient temp. 

Good luck with thawing your caustic...looks like it will be pretty cold for the rest of the week!

Best regards, 

Mike

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Michael Miziorko
Product Manager-Brewing Technology
Gusmer Enterprises
Saint Paul MN
(612) 368-9886
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