A water chiller is a type of refrigeration system that uses water as a secondary refrigerant to control the cooling of products. It is important to note that a chiller does NOT create cold. A chiller removes heat.
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In large, multi-story buildings it simply isn’t practical to pump coolants around the building to multiple air handlers. Long runs of refrigerant pipes would increase the probability of leaks. Coolant leaks would create a potentially hazardous environment for employees; pollute the environment, and waste money. Instead, a chiller provides a centralized location for the coolant to be put to work to remove heat from water.
Chillers circulate chilled water to air-handlers in order to remove heat from the air by transferring the heat to water, i.e. condition the air.
A chiller has two separate systems (or sides):
Warm water from the air handler returns to the chiller where heat is passed from the water to a liquid refrigerant. The heat from the air handler water turns the liquid coolant into a gas. The spent refrigerant enters the compressor where it is turned into a hot vapor. Upon leaving the compressor, the refrigerant vapor enters the condenser side of the chiller where heat is transferred from the hot vapor refrigerant to water that is on its way to the cooling tower. This heat removal condenses the refrigerant back into a liquid. The now liquid coolant is reused to chill more water for the air handler.
The coolant remains contained in the chiller. It is the heat exchange between the coolant and water that both cools the water to condition the air in the handler and removes heat from the refrigerant for reuse.
There are a wide variety of types of chillers that utilize varying pressures, different numbers of tanks and chambers, etc., however the fundamental application is the same as the closed-looped cooling system in your home. Coolant expands to a gas as it removes heat from the water. The now chilled water is pumped to air handlers. The heated gaseous refrigerant is condensed into a liquid for reuse.
In the United States, chiller capacity is measured in terms of tons or ‘tons of refrigeration.’ One ton of refrigeration is roughly equal to the cooling power of one ton (2,000 pounds or 907 kilograms) of ice melting in a twenty-four hour period. Chillers can also be measured in British Thermal Units per hour (BTU/h) and Watts (W). For perspective, an average residential air conditioning unit can be 1 to 5 tons (3 to 20 kW) in capacity. However, a commercial chiller can be from 15 to 150 tons (53 to 5,275 kW) in cooling capacity.
A facility manager and / or building owner may decide to monitor temperature, pressure, liquid flow rate, and electrical power to help maintain an efficient chiller.
Wet DP used to monitor the differential pressure between chilled water supply and return, as well as condenser water supply and return. Controls bypass valve to regulate flow based on demand. Provides a secondary proof of flow by monitoring the differential between supply and return air.
Gauge pressure is used to monitor pressure in the condenser and evaporator units to determine the ultimate pressure on the line. Using a gauge pressure product on both the supply and return will provide the data needed for the BMS to calculate the differential pressure.
High or low pressure readings may be an indicator of a mechanical failure in the system like a leak, pump failure, locked rotor, a clog, etc.
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Current SensorsMonitors run status on all pump motors. Can be used to detect on / off status, locked rotor, and overall pump status for proof of function / water flow. Proof of functionality. No need to manually check each pump. (If current is flowing, the pump is working.)TemperatureUsed to monitor temp for chilled water loop and condenser water loop, helps to control the valve that determines water recirculation speed. Helps to determine pump speed, how much water needs to be returned, and is a main control point for the system.Flow MetersFlow Meter monitors water flow in the supply and return lines of the chilled water loop and condenser water loop. Provides both proof of flow and measures usage.
According to the Department of Energy (DOE), chillers use up about 20% of the total power generated in the country. What’s more, they can increase up to 30% additional energy usage of a building due to operational inefficiencies. This costs companies and building facilities billions yearly. Today, commercial buildings install efficient HVAC systems with an aim to improve a building’s sustainability and performance. Which brings us to water-cooled chillers, an essential HVAC component for a wide variety of commercial facilities. Continue on to learn more about water-cooled chillers, and find out if it’s the right choice for your facility.
In particular, chillers facilitate heat transfer from the internal environment to an external environment, making it more comfortable indoors. But, not all chillers are efficient for commercial spaces. Water-cooled chillers are suitable because they have more precise heat transfer, more energy efficiency, and a longer lifespan. They’re commonly used for large and medium facilities with consistent and efficient water supply. For example, restaurants, industrial plants, hotels, sporting arenas, and healthcare facilities.
Moreover, water-cooled chiller systems have a cooling tower, thus they are more energy efficient than air-cooled chillers. Typically, these chillers use water from the cooling tower to condense the refrigerant. The refrigerant is dependent on the temperature and flow rate of the entering condenser water, which functions according to the ambient wet-bulb temperature. Ultimately, because the wet-bulb temperature is lower than the dry-bulb temperature, the refrigerant’s condensing temperature can operate significantly lower and more efficiently.
Water-cooled chillers are ideal for industrial and commercial air conditioning because they don’t depend on the fluctuations of external temperatures. They also come in a range of sizes for all types of facilities. From 15-ton capacity models to -ton models for large facilities, like malls and airports.
Additionally, water-cooled chillers are typically installed indoors. This allows protection from the outdoor elements and ensures the system sustains a longer, useful life. However, keep in mind that these chillers require additional installation costs and maintenance as compared to other chillers due to the cooling tower system.
Water-cooled chillers feature three main components – evaporators, condensers, and cooling towers:
This component releases water at low temperatures and pushes it through the system with the help of a pump.
A network of pipes passes the chilled water through several sections of the building, exchanging the coldness with the room temperature. Then, the warmer water returns to the evaporator where the refrigerant absorbs the unwanted heat while directing it to the condenser.
The heated water passes through the condenser water loop. In turn, this condenses the water and then heads to the cooling tower.
This is where the chiller gets rid of the unwanted heat. Fans feed the unit with cool air which cools down the incoming water from the condenser. Then, the now cool water goes back to the condenser and the cycle continues.
The efficiency of your water-cooled chillers will depend on the quality of its installation. So, let the folks at The Severn Group help. We’re a dedicated team of HVAC experts serving clients in Washington DC, Baltimore, Annapolis, and beyond. For more information on water-cooled chillers, reach us at 443-837- or schedule a chiller installation.
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