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Water and Air-Cooled Chillers – Small Variations, Big Difference

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:47:31 +0000

Specialised businesses require dedicated tools and resources. Yet even specialised tools can vary in process and functionality, even if they’re designed to service a similar set of tasks. Chillers pose just one example of this, offering a variation of water-cooling options by way of different designs.

When it comes to specialised business tools, variations in design – even if on a slight scale – often equate to a greater focus on details. This, in turn, enables companies to hone in on and appoint the most applicable resources for their functional needs. For instance, chillers – used by a range of industries for water-cooling purposes – come in various forms; primarily, in units that cool by air and those that cool by water. Both function towards a similar purpose; yet their actual, varying processes can make a difference with regard to a company’s unique processes.

In terms of the components that make up water cooled chillers and air cooled chillers, the two pieces of equipment are very similar. Each product contains an evaporator, condenser, compressor, and an expansion valve. However, as their names suggest, water-cooled and air-cooled chillers differ in the way they refrigerate fluids. While air cooled chillers ‘reject’ heat into the air, water cooled chillers reject it into another water source – such as a cooling tower plant. This simple yet significant difference usually forms the basis upon which companies choose which type of chiller is best for them.

Air cooled chillers are known to be slightly less energy efficient than water cooled chillers, but they’re also less expensive to purchase and maintain – making them popular among many businesses and industries. However, water cooled chillers are often the ideal choice for facilities that have a ready water source, such as a cooling tower or plant chilled water system. Provided that the existing water system has sufficient reserve capacity to service any additional requirements placed on the system, a water chiller is the most practical choice.

Many companies are also influenced by environmental factors, such as whether or not a chiller uses non-CFC refrigerants, or durability – for instance, if a chiller can withstand harsh industrial settings. With varying attributes to each type of equipment, businesses are able to approach their water-cooling needs – whether through chiller rentals or purchases – with unique requirements and fine-tuned processes in mind.

Process Chillers – Process Chiller Basics

admin — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:33:07 +0000

Water chillers are used in just about every industry where a component, be it machinery or product, needs to be cooled. Sometimes, however, simple water chillers are not strong enough, and a process chiller may be used. Process chillers differ from standard HVAC chillers in that they use refrigerant coolants like ammonia and halocarbons, and can provide a higher level of cooling capabilities than standard chillers. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the basic information regarding process chillers and how they are used in today’s industries.

Process chillers are generally made up of four parts – compressors, evaporators, condensers, and metering devices. The refrigerant is sent to a heat source by a compressor, where it absorbs the heat because of its chemical properties. It then carries this heat to an evaporator, where it undergoes a phase change – it is converted into gas form and thus disperses the heat into the atmosphere, sometimes through a cooling tower to provide extra heat absorption. The condenser then turns the coolant back into a liquid form and sends it back to the compressor, where it is pushed through the cycle again. Metering devices provide a way to regulate the amount of flow and heat being absorbed.

Process chillers are used in a number of industrial applications, such as in the plastics industry, where they are used to reduce cycle times in injection molding by regulating the temperatures there. They are used in baking and other foods, because cooler water allows dough to be mixed for longer periods and thus increases the quality of the product, and can cool various food producing processes such as the creation of chocolate, meat massaging, and vegetable processing. It is used in pharmaceuticals, where emollient vats produce large amounts of heat and frequently disperse it through a process chiller. They are even used in printing applications, to regulate temperatures in rollers and presses to reduce stretching and bleeding.

A process chiller can provide a large amount of cooling to virtually any facility, with the ability to chill up to forty tons of water or other refrigerant at a time. There are various types of process chillers available, with different types of compressors and coolant systems, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The important thing is to know how much water you need cooled and at what rate, so that you can properly assess the type of cooling you will need.

Process chillers, chiller, & chiller and compressors.