zero bulk tank instructions

[mmccallum]

Hi,
I have an 800 gal zero bulk tank (clean in place model).
Can anyone provide me with instructions how to run it?
currently the compressor is not attached, but i am concerned if I do something in the wrong order it will screw it up! :)

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[BreezyHill]

When we ran ours we had a small surge pump on the tank to bring the system to around 25" and the three main lines were connect to the pipes that came out of the two lids.

Rubber clamps were used to seal the tubing into the pipes.

This is one of the older tank from prior to the first bankruptcy of the company and is the thick wall tanks.

A friend that was a dealer thru the companies fiscal issues said after the first tie the tanks got very thin and could even fail under 15" of vac. These were scraped and anything still around should have no issues to going to 15 or a little more.

This summer I checked out an all stainless model that was very thin compared to mine. Ran at 20" for several years with no issues.

We pulled out of our tank with the RO for a few seasons and that worked fine. But others have said they have to remove the vac to pump out the tank.

800 gallons is a lot of CFMs (107) to be pumping down every time you pump out the tank. So you will likely want to start the vac just prior to emptying the tank and be sure to have a check valve on the tubing system to maintain vac on the system as long as possible. If you are only dumping the tank after or prior to starting the pump it is no big deal.

I would hate to have to do all this during peak flow and risk losing production. I would think a deep well pump could be positioned below the tank with a drain valve to prevent freezing and close the tank valve...This way the pump can have a prime and be pulling sap with the vac running.

You could also use a roll on ferrel to connect a tri clover to threaded fitting to connect mains to the tank.

Our tank has a sleeve fitting that the 1.5" Dairy Stainless Steel(SS) pipe slides into you just slip on oring over the 1.5 SS and it seals the fitting. Currently ours is only used as a batch tank for the RO. When we are boiling the sugar house gets pretty warm and the Zero keep the sap cooler. Also keeps it from freezing on cold nights for boiling in the am. Really sucks to have the valve frozen when you want to fill a cleaned head tank.

I can get picks of the ferrels and our lid setup if that will help.

Water trap between the pump and the tank and check valves are still needed to protect the pump and the sap from each other.

You will want a large diameter connection to the tank to get the best vac transfer. If you use a 3" pvc with a ball valve at the tank connection it will act as a balance tank and help with evacuating the tank if you pump off during a run.

Keep the pump near the tank for best vac transfer also.

Good Luck

[tuckermtn]

just to clarify- by "run it" , I assume you mean using it to collect sap under vacuum without a releaser?

when you mention the compressor, it got me wondering if you were looking to still use it for milk?

[BreezyHill]

Compressors are great for head tanks or to chill a batch out of an RO...especially at the end of season. Our next redisgn will have the head tank larger and with compressor hooked up.

[maple flats]

The last year before I had my RO, I had a period of 4 days when I had more sap than I could process. I kept boiling what I had in tanks at the sugarhouse and I sold those 4 days worth of sap to another producer. He ran it thru his RO and then put it in a milk tank with the compressor still working. He cooled the concentrate to 30 degrees and stored it for 4-5 days to boil it at Maple Weekend. Even after that many days, he made medium syrup with it.
If you have a tank/compressor unit that works you can hold the concentrate much longer, it would radically degrade in that time without the extra cooling. The guy I sold the sap to may have gone from light to medium by storing it as concentrate, but medium sells very well too.