Transcript First Progress Report 10-08-13 - CJW.pptx

First Progress Report: 10/08/13
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Homebrewer wants to build a mash tun
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Either moving to all-grain brewing for the first time,
increasing home brewery capacity, or simply trying
to improve on their existing equipment
Lots of options: how to build the best mash
tun?
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Want to minimize extraction efficiency: avoid
waste/save money
OR
Want to increase flow uniformity: increase wort
quality
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Learn underlying physical theories of fluid
flow through grain bed/filter device
Flow through porous media: Darcy’s equation
 Laminar flow through pipes: Navier-Stokes
 Flow in the interface of grain bed/manifold:
Dirichlet?
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Review articles/books/etc. that address
concepts relevant to this topic
Look for previous examples of this kind of
modeling being performed
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Develop CAD model of mash tun and grain
bed
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Constrain the problem: some assumptions will be
made as to the materials/tools available to the
average home mash tun builder
Further, the grain bed properties will be constant??
Optimize model
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Other design parameters will be varied
2 different designs will be developed to optimize
either extraction efficiency or flow uniformity
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Development of the COMSOL model has been
delayed due to confusion over whether the
COMSOL software would be available for use at
home, as it had been in previous semesters
This software is available for use at the RPI
Groton site, and this alternative was addressed as
a contingency plan in the project proposal.
However, this has delayed the expected completion
date for model optimization until Oct. 15, vice
Oct. 10 as first addressed in the proposal
Model development will be completed shortly,
with optimization quickly following
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Design prototype in order to validate COMSOL model
Build prototype
Perform testing
 Analyze results and compare to COMSOL model
predictions
 Refine model as necessary to match real-world
results
Iterate as required to achieve reliable model
While some of this work is dependent on the results of
the model development and optimization, some
general planning for the prototype can be done in
advance
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Address underlying science
Explain intent of various procedural steps and
relative success
Examine prototype design and testing plan
development
Review results and compare to expected outcomes
Draw conclusions to be used by average
homebrewer
First Progress Report completed as of 10/07/13,
with all official RPI Thesis formatting and all
relevant sections included. Some sections of the
report have been started.