Homeroasters - Home Roasting Coffee Community » ALL ABOUT ROASTERS » Drum Roaster (Store Bought and Commercial)
Who is here? 1 guest(s)
 Print Thread
Huky 500 with proportional gas valve
Jeff Peters
Top  #1 Print Post
Posted on 08/11/2014 10:57 AM
Thread started per recommendation from allenb.

Wanted to inform others contemplating using a proportional valve in a natural gas train with their roasters about a few findings of mine. I'm currently using a Clippard EVP proportional valve (their largest 0.060 inch diameter orrifice) in my PID-controlled natural gas setup to drive the gas flow rate to a 15k BTU/hr burner with my Huky 500 solid drum roaster. At 8" WC input natrural gas pressure, I'm only getting about 1875 BTU/hr gas throughput, which is about half of what I need to get the peak RoR in my 250g sample roasts.

I currently have a Kelly Pneumatics Proportional valve (with a 0.156 inch diameter orrifice) on order which should give me over 6000 BTU throughput and solve my issue. Will post updates here when I have it installed.

Note: The combination of Clippard valve and their driver board is about the same price as the combination of Kelly valve and their driver board (~$200), but I found my experience working with Ed Kelly to be much better. A very nice guy who is accomodating and reasonable (not to mention he knows his stuff as he sold the proportional valve design to Clippard to begin with).

More notes: Those of you using a proportional valve with high pressure gas (LP, or other, like Tamarian) propably won't have this flow rate issue. Tamarian can comment, but I think he uses his in a higher BTU appliacation than I do and hasn't experienced this issue.
 
allenb
Top  #2 Print Post
Posted on 08/12/2014 7:01 PM
Hi Jeff,

Glad to hear you received good customer service from Kelly Pneumatics. I've been very impressed with them as well in all my dealings with them. Ed and John Kelly spent a lot of phone time with me when I was going through the selection process for my 1 lb drum build. No matter how long it took, they were willing to put in the time with no complaints. Great company!

I'm hoping the larger orifice will allow you the BTU's needed for your Huky.

My Kelly valve, if I'm remembering correctly, uses a .009" orifice which gives me somewhere between 8-10 KBTU's max output with 12 psi propane supplying the valve.

Looking forward to hearing updates on how your's works out!

Allen
Edited by allenb on 08/12/2014 7:13 PM
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
tamarian
Top  #3 Print Post
Posted on 08/17/2014 1:17 AM
I use mine with a propane tank, regulated to 1-2bars depending on charge. I have selected the 0.025 orifice which they rated for max pressure and high flow at 100psi, which is more than enough, and the rest is controlled via torch size, 1kg roaster uses the small Seivert torch, and the next seivert model torch for 5kg-10kg.

I am now reading about low hysteresis models for finer control. The way they look now, clippard valves require chopper boards + PLC, while Kelly uses a less complicated control board with no additional control input than a Fuji PID and voltage input. I have not yet calculated my BTU, I just go by max psi input to the valve, depending on my charge.
Wa'il. 1 Kg PID'ed gas-fired fluid bed roaster, GS/3MPS, K10F
 
Web
Jump to Forum: