Reminder - Pressure can hurt you

Systems, Gear, & DIY
1

Folks, after an accident this weekend, thought I would remind everyone that pressure is dangerous, and to review how you handle CO2. I wonder if we get a little comfortable handling something that can seriously injure.

I recently bought a couple of new SSBrewTech Chronical 1/2 BBL fermenters. They use a domed lid with vinyl gasket, held down by spring steel clips. I also use a 1 1/2" TC with a pressure gauge and gas inlet to add pressure when cold crashing - usually just a few pounds, and refresh this as the beer comes to temp. Also handy to push the beer when kegging.

I managed to panic when a vacuum formed and I let air in through the sampling valve that bubbled up through the beer. My first thought was to purge the airspace with CO2 - so I grabbed my tank and hit conical with pressure. I didn’t check the pressure rating on the regulator - and pushed too much to fast. The Chronical is rated for 3-5 PSI, and I hit it with 15. The PRV whistled, and the lid jumped. Fortunately - the conical was properly engineered. The spring clamps, while bent all to hell, kept the lid from flying off and into my face. I was able to reseat everything, and bend back those clamps so they at least work.

Please be careful. I am usually quite calm, but allowed myself to panic and forget to follow procedure.

On the positive side, I admitted to SSBrewTech that I blew up one of their products. They were very supportive and we walked through what happened carefully, and are working to help me restore the clamps to their original condition. Pays to be honest!

2

Thanks for the warning, glad everyone is OK

3

Yikes!

thanks for the PSA. I think about that sometimes when I’m pressurizing a keg while standing over it, hand on the QD, face directly above the lid and PRV.

4

I am always thinking about it when closed transferring from my primary carboy into my kegs.  Just not enough to stop me yet…

5

I think my worst mistakes are compound mistakes when I panic (often over something not worth sweating in the first place). Good reminder. Thanks.

6

Good reminder.  The Pressure and Vacuum risks often rear their heads in professional breweries and as we all continue to professionalize our equipment we need to keep up with the safety education, too.

-Keg Washers often create pressure-related hazards in professional breweries (ESPECIALLY with plastic kegs / casks) and cheap / retrofitted fermenting / conditioning / serving vessels that haven’t been fitted with vacuum and pressure relief often get imploded when transferring beer.

This happens to the big guys, too so don’t be to hard on yourself.

Adam

7

One must respect a vacuum also. Google railcar implosion. A. Railcar tank gets crushed.