An industrial chiller is a purpose-built machine to cool large plants and gear in industrial facilities. These are utilized in several different applications. Several kinds of chillers are available on the market, and selecting the right one for your company is critical. Whichever business you work in, selecting the ideal product is a complex process. However, there is no need to be perplexed; the following factors will assist you in choosing the appropriate product for your requirements. Before we begin, let&#;s first understand what is Industrial Chiller.
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An industrial chiller is a refrigeration system that maintains the temperature of equipment and materials, ensuring that processes function smoothly. Air conditioners remove moisture from the air, while water chillers chill fluids that may be utilized to condition rooms or excellent operations merely by eliminating heat. On the other hand, these units do not &#;cool&#; or &#;chill&#; anything; they remove heat.
Floor space is critical in many factories and processing floors. You need as much space as possible. The objective is often to have as few superfluous stuff clogging up your floor space as possible. On the other hand, portable chillers repeatedly need to be put on the floor. They should be located directly next to the process that requires the most significant cooling. This is advantageous since it efficiently provides cooling where needed. However, it also means you are sacrificing important space that might be used for other equipment.
This is a variable that varies with each machine. Due to the proximity of a portable unit to the work area, noise levels are often higher with mobile chillers. Suppose this is a big worry in your facility. In that case, you may always look into noise-reducing chillers or have the unit constructed for outdoor installation. This implies that noise levels are less of an issue than they could be otherwise.
Industrial chillers are classified in a variety of ways. Consider the following five chiller classes.
Generally, air-cooled chillers are less expensive than water-cooled chillers. However, since they generate much heat, these chillers are best suited for sites where heat is not a problem.
Water-cooled chillers in India are often quieter and more efficient than chillers with air cooling. As a result, they are appropriate for both commercial and small-scale establishments.
The word &#;portable&#; does not relate to the chiller&#;s mobility in this instance. Rather than that, it signifies that a chiller incorporates all of the system&#;s fundamental components into a single unit.
&#;Stationary&#; chillers do not contain a tank or a pump. Rather than that, they are self-contained devices linked to a reservoir and pump to operate.
These chillers are used to cool a variety of operations. They may be portable or fixed and can be air- or water-cooled.
Portable chillers often work more precisely than their central equivalents. While a central chiller is usually limited to a single fixed temperature, mobile units are typically more changeable and adaptable, making it simple to choose a model that produces a steady and precise temperature that is an excellent match for the equipment being cooled.
Without a doubt, portable chillers are more expensive than central chillers. However, pause before quickly dismissing the idea of purchasing a portable chiller. Buying a portable chiller enables you to pay for just what you need at the time. Hence, one has to be mindful before option for the chiller.
It&#;s worth doing the necessary research in finding the industrial chiller manufacturers. Here are some of the questions to reflect on before purchasing from the manufacturer.
If you are satisfied with all the above questions, you can undoubtedly go for the manufacturer. Dealing with the manufacturer and no middle-man makes the process hassle-free.
Are you planning to buy an industrial chiller? Then get in touch with us at Refcon chillers based in Mumbai, India. We proudly boast about our confidence in our customers&#; services. No matter what you are looking for, we have a solution for you. Our team ensures to render the correct information and the quote by meeting your requirements. Call today!
This is the most comprehensive guide on water-cooled chillers.
In this guide, you will learn about the working principle, features, benefits, safety features, and energy-saving features of water-cooled chillers, amongst others.
Also, we will compare the water-cooled chillers and air-cooled chillers.
Keep reading if you want to be an expert.
A water-cooled chiller is a unique refrigerator that cools down the industrial water process to a suitable applicable temperature.
The working principle of the machine majorly entails the extraction of heat from industrial water.
After that, it uses water from a separate reservoir to cool down the refrigerant; hence the name water-cooled.
Note that the chiller hugely depends upon the refrigerant to cool down the process.
Consequently, the chiller type is preferential in applications with an already installed cooling tower.
Better still, it provides an optimum and efficient consumption of power.
Most importantly, this chiller type is excellent and useful for an extensive application.
That is, where the heat expelled by the air-cooled chiller may be high.
Water cooled chiller manufactured by TopChilller
The water-cooled chillers exist in four distinct categories depending on how they maneuver the refrigerant within the system.
They include:
The vapor absorption-type relies upon a heat source to power up the refrigerant&#;s transmission and relay across the chiller system to enhance cooling.
As a result, the system does not rely upon a compressor.
Therefore, its components include an evaporator, condenser, and expansion unit.
Finally, instead of the compressor, it uses an absorber, a generator, and a pump.
Ammonia or Lithium bromide are classic examples of absorption media in this case.
Lastly, you can use water or steam to heat the heat source.
Unlike the absorption type, the compressor chiller uses a compressor to pump the refrigerant to extract the heat.
However, its components are similar to the absorption chiller.
It has an evaporator, expansion unit, and condenser.
But still, the unit has no such kind of a porous medium.
The screw chiller is another category of the compressor chiller.
However, it uses a screw kind of compressor to pump the refrigerant throughout the system.
The type is most prevalent.
This is because it is quick to install, operate quietly with little or no noise.
Furthermore, it has low maintenance costs and is highly energy efficient.
Besides, they are appropriate for high-risk types of buildings.
Water cooled screw chiller
The centrifugal chiller types rely upon vapor compression.
They are versatile.
This is because they can serve medium to large scale cooling processes typically ranging from 150 to tons of refrigeration.
Their system comprises the standard components; evaporator, compressor, condenser, and an expansion device joined to rotating fans.
They are capable of compressing and transmitting the refrigerant throughout the system.
Energy-efficient; it is generally more comfortable and cost-effective to use evaporating water for cooling.
This is because it requires less energy.
This is because it has a high heat capacity of water.
Operates Quietly: The water and cooling process flow is quiet.
It operates without producing any significant noise level.
That level of operation is significant for quiet settings such as medical applications and schools.
That is, where noise is a significant hindrance to operation.
Safety and environmental sustainability; the water-cooled chiller uses no toxic chemicals that may be harmful to the user or the environment.
No space restrictions; you can always install the water-cooled chiller anywhere without worrying about the amount of space allowance.
That is, whether indoors or a convenient place without necessarily having to station outdoor.
Long-Lasting; the water-cooled chillers have a longer lifespan.
They do not require frequent replacement.
It is because they do not suffer from outdoor factors such as rain, heat, or ice that may hinder their durability.
High initial costs; the chillers require a full set up of complementary facilities, including a water cooling tower and condenser water pumps.
However, the high savings on energy and durability override the higher initial investment.
Heavy maintenance; the water-cooled chiller types are bulky and, as such, require frequent inspection and checks.
Additionally, they need water treatments more often to eliminate impurities and cleaning.
Also, more parts mean more repairs.
Needs a mechanical station; for maximum utilization of the chiller, you require a mechanical room to effectively function and operate in a full setup.
Of course, the full setup will include the cooling tower and auxiliary components.
It is not suitable for drought-prone areas; since the chillers utilize lots of water, they require locations with a steady water supply.
Otherwise, you will have to pay more on water bills, thus increasing operating costs.
The overall mechanical compression cycle has four distinct segments through which the refrigerant flows.
They include the:
However, please note that the condenser in the chiller operates at a steadily higher temperature and higher pressure than the evaporator.
Water cooled chiller major parts
Below is an overview of the chiller&#;s operation
The chiller employs a closed-loop refrigeration system to cool down the process water.
Therefore, it means that there is a reliable, constant, and defined supply of water used for your processes.
On the flip side, the process entails the compressor pumping the refrigerant from the condenser, expansion valve, evaporator, and back to the compressor.
Meanwhile, during the flow of the refrigerant inside the system, the expansion valve meters it.
Elsewhere, the evaporator expels the heat.
Thus decreasing the fluid&#;s temperature while raising the refrigerant temperature.
Subsequently, the heated refrigerant from the evaporator and compressor gains entry into the condenser.
Once in the condenser, the refrigerant gets cooled.
Note that the typical water condensers are tube-in-tube, plate type, or tube-in-shell heat exchangers.
It is at this location that the water from the source or cooling tower cools the refrigerant.
However, the refrigerant and the cooling water never come into direct contact.
Instead, they flow via separate and distinct tunnels just inside the heat exchanger, otherwise close to effective heat transfer.
The water flows and transitions over the numerous refrigerant tubes while taking in the excessive heat.
Thereby lowering the refrigerant&#;s temperature to an optimum level for use in the system.
Water cooled chiller working diagram
Even though both the air-cooled chiller and water-cooled chillers function to eliminate extra and unwanted heat from the process water, they vary in several ways.
The choice between the two chillers depends on a few essential factors, such as cost differences, environmental considerations, location considerations, and condenser mechanisms.
The condensers of the air-cooled chillers and water-cooled chillers are distinctively different.
Water-cooled chillers have condensers that utilize the water&#;s high heat capacity to enhance the chilling of the refrigerant.
These chillers often use a mixture of water and glycol as a common refrigerant.
Elsewhere, the condensers of the air-cooled chillers utilize the ambient air to cool down the refrigerant.
To improve cooling, fans blow fresh air over the tubing that contains the refrigerant, thereby eliminating trapped heat.
When comparing the two sets of chillers, it is critical to consider the costs of acquisition, installation, and operation.
Initially, air-cooled chillers require costs for purchasing and installing fans, thermoregulation controls, and air ducts.
Additionally, you shall incur the energy costs for operating the chiller fans, increasing your energy bills.
On the flip side, the water-cooled chillers do not require many expenses to install; instead, the operational costs may tremendously soar.
That is so because the chillers must have a pre-installed cooling tower.
Besides, you shall incur additional maintenance costs, including water quality testing, water treatment, and other refrigeration system operational costs.
Indoor set-up: you can install both the chillers indoors.
However, you have to allocate additional space for the air-cooled chiller because they generally need more ambient air for ventilation.
Also, water-cooled chillers do not necessarily require an open space since they rely upon cooling towers for ventilation.
Outdoor locations: air-cooled chillers are perfect for installing outdoors due to the unlimited air supply for ventilation.
However, water-cooled chillers do not rightly blend within an exterior set-up.
High-temperature environments: compared to air-cooled chillers, the water-cooled type is suitable for installing and operating in industrial set-ups.
That is, with many elevated temperatures.
Supply of water: you have to set up the chillers in locations with a steady supply of water and vice versa for air-cooled chillers.
Contrastingly, water-cooled chillers are more efficient compared to air-cooled chillers.
The latter&#;s efficiency significantly depends on the ambient cooling air.
Therefore, a chiller operating at a high temperature while cooling will perform less efficiently.
Instead, water-cooled chillers are more efficient since their operation is independent of external environmental factors.
Furthermore, the cooling towers and refrigeration systems facilitate the maintenance of steady operational temperature.
Consider the following factors whenever you are purchasing a water-cooled chiller.
Heat burden; initially do a survey and evaluate the amount of heat you need to expel from your application.
With the precise heat burden, you shall then buy a chiller capable of achieving the fete.
Compressor type; you will often come by three types of compressors available for your chiller, i.e., centrifugal, screw type, and reciprocating compressors.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit How Do Water Cooled Chillers Work.
Each type operates uniquely and has a different level of efficiency, so you have to pick one that suits your needs.
Installation location; you can always install a water-cooled chiller either indoors or outdoors.
It is still prudent to do a feasibility study of the installation surrounding.
This is to determine what accessories you will need to have.
Please find out the chiller&#;s appropriate size, its chiller parts that are compatible with your site.
Coolant parameters; verify the chiller&#;s coolant pressure and rate of flow, then weigh them against your application&#;s expectations or extent.
As a rule of thumb, always pick a machine with specifications that favorably compare with the coolant parameters.
That is, not too low or too high.
The extent of noise; depending on the locality of your industrial setup, you may need certain restrictions on the noise level.
For example, if you operate the chiller in a hospital/ learning institution setting, you might prefer one that produces the least noise.
The two most common tests for water-cooled chillers are subject to assessing the chiller&#;s actual performance and efficiency on site.
The two tests are:
Before initiating the test, it is paramount to identify the parameters that depict the chiller performance.
A classic parameter is the KW/TR.
The unit is vital in assessing the chiller&#;s energy performance.
The unit (KW/TR) indicates the precise amount that a chiller consumes to deliver a cooling of about one TR.
You can similarly use this value comparatively with the design numerical or the common values.
The KW/TR value compares the electrical input energy (KW) against the thermal output (TR).
However, the manufacturers usually provide the value of design performance in COP (Coefficient of Performance).
The COP can as well transition into the KW/TR units by arithmetic manipulation.
Based on the different seasons and load requirements, most chillers do operate at partial loading conditions.
Therefore, you must evaluate and assess the chiller&#;s performance when under part loads.
Occasionally, the part-load efficiencies of the chillers may be better than the full load efficiencies.
Thus depending on that preceding fact, selecting chillers for part loads and full loads can be concise.
You will employ the Integrated Part Load Value (IPLV) to assess the chiller&#;s performance at part load conditions.
Subsequently, you can derive the IPLV by considering the weighted averages of four loading points, usually 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%.
Similarly, you can use the following co-relation to find the IPLV:
IPLV = 0.01A + 0.42 B + 0.45C + 0. 12D.
The designations A, B, C, and D are the COP values at four loading points, respectively.
Water-cooled chillers have reasonably lower and affordable initial costs.
They usually cost approximately $400 per ton below 400 tons and $300 per ton for above that level.
On top of that, water chillers require an additional motor and cooling tower, which does increase the capital investment.
You can turn to TopChiller sales to get a rough cost of your water-cooled chiller.
While manufacturers have struggled this far to improve the chillers&#; efficiencies significantly, it is yet to be enough.
A tip on maintaining the efficiency of the chiller is by always operating the machine at its peak performance.
This saves energy and maintenance costs.
Numerous variables directly affect the efficiency of the chillers.
Therefore, the following are the primary factors that help soar high efficiency.
Keeping daily records; a log is a document that you use to note down the chiller&#;s operating technical specifications, including operating pressures, fluid level, flow rate, operating temperature, etc.
It&#;s prudent to make this analysis while doing rounds of inspection. The data is critical in operating an efficient machine.
Maintain clean tubes; several contaminants such as minerals, mud, algae, and impurities accumulate and block on the water surfaces of the heat transfer surfaces in the chiller systems.
The contaminants are dangerous because they do increase the thermal resistance while thus lowing the chiller&#;s performance.
Consequently, the blockage leads to an unhealthy rise in temperatures.
The solution, at least annually, cleans the condenser tubes using an automatic rotary cleaning machine.
Treat condenser water; water used in the loop system needs treatment to prevent fouling.
Untreated water can always block and damage the tubes and piping systems.
Regulate water velocity; always closely control the flow rate because too low or too high flow rates often reduce the chiller efficiency.
They both lead to laminar flow and vibration/noise/ tube erosion, respectively.
It would be best if you tried to keep a maximum flow rate of 12 ft/sec.
Sustain refrigerant charge; note that the extent of cooling for any chiller depends on the amount of refrigerant the chiller drives via the compressor for every unit time.
Occasional leaks, air, and moisture, which lead to a low refrigerant charge.
They lower the chiller&#;s efficiency and reliability by increasing the machine&#;s work rate though making it achieve little refrigeration.
Water cooled chiller tube cleaning
Most water-cooled chillers deliver chilled water at the temperature range of about 35 -45.
However, all that varies according to your unique application needs.
Frankly speaking, as a professional water-cooled chiller manufacturer and supplier, the minimum chilled water temperature we can design and make is -35&#; glycol water chiller.
You can ask water-cooled chiller experts from TopChiller to custom your suitable water-cooled chiller today.
The water-cooled chillers have an already set-up cooling tower that contains water.
Also, the water present there provides the best cooling and condensation media for the refrigerant.
Mostly besides water, there are other cooling media including glycol water, brine, seawater, and other coolant liquid based on your demands.
Chiller systems are majorly classified according to the types of compressors as commonly outlined below:
The pumps serve two vital roles in the chiller system.
Firstly, it initiates an adequate pressure to distribute the fluids through the chiller system.
Secondly, it provides pressure enough to drive the condenser water in the system at an appropriate flow rate.
Consequently, the two common types of pumps are centrifugal pumps and positive displacement pumps.
Centrifugal pump: this type of pump is most prevalent because of their:
Unlike the centrifugal pumps, the positive displacement types only dose chemicals in the chillers.
Water cooled chiller pump
Most water-cooled chillers are a big capacity with heavy net weight, how to load these big units into containers successfully is not an easy thing.
TopChiller, as the professional water-cooled chiller manufacturer and supplier having rich experience of loading such water-cooled chillers into your containers easily.
From the below videos, you will find how to load a big capacity water-cooled chiller into your container to ship out.
As earlier mentioned, water-cooled chillers are simple and yet versatile machines that you can install under various conditions.
Below are some of the typical places/ locations you can set up the machine:
At best, you should perform a daily inspection of your chillers.
Pay special attention to the chiller&#;s controls.
Subsequently, take note of the machine&#;s operating conditions.
That is, despite the machine&#;s microprocessor control always recording the statistics, a handwritten log is equally essential.
Water-cooled chiller inspection
The startup and shutdown procedure might vary from one machine to another depending on the individual chiller&#;s technical specifications.
However, the following is an overview of what you expect.
Ensure that the pipes and hoses are kink-free. Lastly, the valves should be all open.
2. Start the chiller by turning the on/off switch located beneath the controller.
With that, the pumps should start turning on and begin pumping water.
3. Do a thorough leak check.
Check all the hoses and fittings for any potential leaks.
Other places to verify and correct the leaks include internal chiller plumbing and filter panel.
4. Perform a pump check to assess if the flow rate corresponds to the flow setpoint.
5. Conduct a DI check; note that the DI water should be between 35 and 40
6. Next, conduct a temperature check.
7. Finally, the chiller would operate remotely whenever the DI water levels and chiller temperatures stabilize into the desired range.
You can perform two kinds of chiller shutdowns, i.e. temporary and extended shutdowns.
The former implies an intended shutdown for a short duration while the latter refers to an extended or a lasting shutdown.
Maintain the switch in the &#;OPEN&#; configuration.
Yes, most of them come with warranties; however, the decision to issue the warranty solely depends on the manufacturer.
Again, the warranty period varies amongst manufacturers. At TopChiller we normally have 12 months warranty time as the standard principle after your water-cooled chiller installation and commission successfully.
Therefore, always read through the product&#;s description before buying.
The optimum life cycle of the machine is approximately 20 &#; 30 years, which is according to the Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine.
Sizing a chiller is a purely mathematical procedure that you can do manually using a formula.
Or you can use an automatic web algorithm already in place on the manufacturer&#;s webpage.
Nevertheless, you should know the important parameters to consider such as:
Water-cooled chillers may often fail due to inadequate water flow to expel the excess heat from the refrigerant.
In that case, the condensing water might just become too warm to cool down the refrigerant.
The likely cause for this fault is a blocked condenser water supply or a leak.
Besides, the chiller&#;s compressor or the cooling towers may equally fail.
Usually, servicing a water-cooled chiller is a critical task that should exclusively be undertaken only by qualified and certified engineers and personnel.
Further, you can always complement their work by ensuring you maintain clear logs and all records relating to your machine.
Above all, always strive to engage a professional to service your machine.
There are all kinds of different refrigerants charged for water-cooled chillers, including R22, R134a, R407c, R410a, R404a and R507c
But which refrigerant among the above types is suitable for your water-cooled chillers? this is not an easy thing because it depends on your water-cooled chiller working conditioning, your ambient temperature, and the compressor types.
If you have any questions about Which Refrigerant is Suitable for a Water-Cooled Chiller, you can ask our refrigeration expert from TopChiller, we will give you the satisfaction answer and proper solution.
Refrigerant suitable for water-cooled chiller
Thermal overloads on compressor motors, pump motors, and fan motors.
The above full protection devices with a water-cooled chiller ensure your chiller unit working at a proper protection status.
This is definitely correct while you are comparing a water-cooled chiller with an air-cooled chiller.
Water-cooled chillers are highly energy-efficient due to their corresponding minimum COP and IPLV, i.e., 4.2 and 5.2, respectively.
For more information on water-cooled chillers or any other chiller systems, contact the TopChiller team now.
So TopChiller strongly advises you should choose a water-cooled chiller due to this advantage over an air-cooled chiller if your project site situation is all available.
If you still have any doubt about water-cooled chiller and air-cooled chiller, TopChiller is willing to provide any technical support to work out the suitable water-cooled chiller for your application.
100% quality tested water cooled chiller
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