Immersion chiller vs counterflow chiller

 Grainfather 

Immersion

Counterflow 

Efficiency 

Benefits of the counterflow chiller

For the same system it will take less time and less water to cool the same volume of wort.

With counterflow chillers they are used to cool wort inline while transferring wort from the boiler to the fermenter. This saves time as it turns a two-step process with an immersion chiller (first cool, then transfer).

It is a sanitary system. Wort at 1000C is sanitary and as the wort is cooled and transferred it is not exposed to the environment where microorganisms may inoculate the wort.

 

Benefits of the Immersion chiller

When the surface area is significantly increased to the point where surface area overcomes the limitations ΔT then the immersion chiller can be an very effective and fast way to cool wort.

To produce an immersion chiller requires less components and is easier to produce so the cost of the final unit is cheaper.

Immersion chillers can be used to cool any open toped system and does not require a pump.

Limitations of Counterflow chillers

Counterflow chillers are much more expensive to produce and therefore have a higher end cost.

Require and system with adequate pumping and filtration capability to transfer the wort through the counterflow chiller to the fermenter.

Require periodic specialised cleaning due to wort traveling inside the tubing.

Counterflow chillers are much more expensive to produce and therefore have a higher end cost.

Require and system with adequate pumping and filtration capability to transfer the wort through the counterflow chiller to the fermenter.

Require periodic specialised cleaning due to wort traveling inside the tubing.

Limitations of Immersion chillers

Until the immersion chiller has a high enough surface area and resulting cooling time, that is faster than a system with a pump can pump its contents through a counterflow chiller to the fermenter, then the immersion chiller will always be slower at cooling and require more water than the counterflow chiller.

Immersion chillers always require a two-step process for first cooling then transferring. Which unless this takes less time than the counterflow cooling and transferring at the same time. Then this costs more time than the counterflow chiller. The two-step open system also leaves the wort open to contamination (this is low but is still a consideration).

Require a higher level of general cleaning due to coming in contact with more hop matter and trub in the boiler.

Reference 

Counterflow chiller diy