Kees Van Der Westen Mirage Coffee Machine
,gravity=Center,allowExpansion)
,gravity=Center,allowExpansion)
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This is a Kees Van Der Western espresso machine. The Mirage Duette is the 2 group of the family and the Mirage Triplette is the 3 group. You'll find these coffee machines pumping out coffee in the more serious of coffee places.
It has a unique styling which grabs anyones attention. It has E61 group heads with pre-infusion. There are a number of options which can be fined tuned for what you like, such as foot pedals for your steam wand etc. Please contact us for this sort of requirement.
FEATURES
BOILER - HEAT-EXCHANGER - GROUP
The Mirage`s heating system is based on the so-called thermo-syphon system. It consists of one large copper boiler (13ltr for the Duette, 19ltr for the Triplette), equipped with a heat-exchanger for each group, running vertically slanted across the boiler.
This HX is connected to the rear of the group by a thick tube running from top of HX to group and another tube running from rear of group to bottom of HX, completing a vertical circuit.
THERMO-SYPHON LOOP AT WORK
The water in the HX is heated by the hot water and steam surrounding the HX in the large boiler. This is an extremely quick way to heat water, thanks to the massive energy in the 125 degrees C. steam boiler and the fast heat transferring capabilities of the copper. It is far more efficient than a heating element. The capacity of the HX therefore may remain relatively small. We use HX`s of 450cc per group.
Heat always wants to go up: the heated water becomes lighter and moves upwards. This flow of hot water leaves the HX, enters the thick tube attached to the top of the HX, then runs towards the group. The group is installed slightly higher than the top of the HX. The group is a massive piece of almost 4 kg of brass. Brass being a very good heat transferring material, soaks up heat from the water when this enters the 35cc chamber at the rear of the group.
The group becomes hot, the water losing much of its heat becoming heavier and starts to sink through the lower thick tube, running from rear of group to the bottom of the HX. Arriving there, the water re-enters the HX, heats up again and all starts anew. The temperature inside the HX is much higher than the normal operating temperature for the group. Capacity to heat the group is thus ensured very well.
This thermo-syphon loop, travelling up from HX to group, then returning to bottom of HX, is driven solely by the heat inside the large boiler. There is no pump or any other device. When the machine is on and at idle (no coffee being made), the thermo-syphon loop is flowing constantly all by itself. As heating the water inside a closed system also means pressure will rise, there is an expansion valve installed. This is adjusted at the workshop to start releasing drops at 11-12 bar. The group solenoid valve has a rating of 15 bar and may act as a secondary expansion valve for extra safety.
SYSTEM AT IDLE
The group sitting at the very end of the thermo-syphon loop is a vitally important stabilizing factor. It is after all the last part water travels through before hitting the coffee, during brewing. Its temperature therefore is important and should be very close to the desired temperature of the brewing water.
The temperature of the group body can be adjusted simply by having more or less hot water flow through its rear chamber. The temperature inside the HX being quite a bit higher than the desired temperature for the group, the thermo-syphon loop needs to slow down, needs to be restricted.
With the Mirage we adjust the boiler to 125 degrees Celsius. To get the group body temperature at low nineties we install a standard restrictor at the top of the HX with a passage of 1.5mm.
With different restrictors installed it is quite possible to operate one machine with temperatures adjusted differently from group to group, for example to accommodate for the use of lighter and darker roasted coffees. As an op...
Estimated Delivery Time Frame:2-7 business days
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