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Centrifugal Chiller: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

In this guide, you will find all information you’re looking for about centrifugal chillers.

Whether you want to learn about parts, working principles, standard specifications, or process optimization, you will find everything right here.

Keep reading to learn more.

What is a Centrifugal Chiller?

Centrifugal chiller is a type of chiller that uses a centrifugal compressor to compress refrigerants thus causing a chilling effect.

It employs the vapor compression cycle using the centrifugal compressors to help in the compression of refrigerants.

 Centrifugal chiller by TopChiller

How Does a Centrifugal Chiller Compare to a Screw Chiller?

Centrifugal chillers and screw chillers are types of chillers that you can use to eliminate excess heat in different applications.

The main difference between the centrifugal chiller and the screw chiller is in the type of compressor.

You will note that the centrifugal chillers use centrifugal compressors to compress the refrigerants.

On the other hand, screw chillers use the screw compressor system to compress the refrigerant.

Despite the difference in the compression system, you will realize that the other functions are all similar.

Centrifugal chillers and screw chillers have more or less the same parts including evaporators, condensers, and expansion valves.

You can also choose between the water-cooled or air-cooled centrifugal chiller or screw chiller.

In other words, screw chillers and centrifugal chillers are available in both air-cooled and water-cooled versions.

In terms of efficiency, you will note that the centrifugal chillers are more efficient in comparison to the screw chillers.

How Do You Keep Your Chillers to Work in Top Condition?

You should keep your chillers working in top condition and reduce the downtime by maintaining them regularly.

Implying that you should have a maintenance program that will help you in keeping the centrifugal chillers in perfect condition.

Here are some of the factors that you need to look at to keep the centrifugal chillers in top working condition.

· Operation Basics

You need to train your workers on the best practices of operating and maintaining the machine regularly.

They need to have the basic knowledge of the factors that they can employ to properly operate the machine.

Apart from that, you need to have centrifugal chillers with a proper maintenance schedule to keep them in check.

· Cleaning the Machine

In addition to having the operation basics at hand, you need to clean the machine regularly.

Cleaning the machine involves getting rid of the dirt and debris from the system by flushing it with soap and water.

You can opt for a centrifugal chiller with a clean-in-place mechanism that will automatically clean it regularly.

· Replacing the Worn-out Parts

You must also conduct regular inspections on the machine to identify the issues that affect the machine such as broken parts.

After that, you will work on doing proper replacements of the broken parts to keep the machine operational for a long.

· Treating the Fluids

You must also treat the fluids that help in chilling different equipment regularly to avoid contamination.

Treating the fluids will reduce the chances of contamination and mold growth within the pipes and also the storage facilities.

Centrifugal chiller parts replacement

What Components Make the Centrifugal Chillers Work Successfully?

Centrifugal chillers have different components that help in the successful operations of the machine.

You will depend on these components to help in producing the chilling effect thus controlling the temperatures.

Here are the main components of the centrifugal chillers that you can use to produce a chilling effect.

· Compressor

Centrifugal chillers have a centrifugal compressor which helps in the compression of the refrigerant to increase the fluid pressure and speed.

It increases the speed and pressure of the fluid that propels it to the next stage or part of the centrifugal chillers.

· Evaporator

You will depend on the centrifugal chiller evaporator to absorb the heat from the flowing water into the refrigerant.

The refrigerant will absorb the heat from the system and change its form from a liquid refrigerant into a gas refrigerant.

· Condenser

It has a system where the chilling fluid which is air or water will flow through and condense the refrigerants.

As it happens, the chilling fluid will take away the heat from the system for better disposal into the environment.

· Expansion valve

Expansion devices come in different forms including electronic modulating valves or simple orifice plates that reduce pressure.

It helps in reducing the pressure of the refrigerant and controlling the flow of the refrigerant back to the compressor.

· Control Unit

This is a human-machine interface (HMI) system that you will use to control the operations of the centrifugal chillers.

It comes complete with a touch screen which allows you to control and monitor the operations of the machine.

· Lubrication System

You will also have a lubrication system on the centrifugal chillers that will oil the moving parts to reduce friction.

It helps the parts to move smoothly without and slide over one another without causing an abrasion on the system.

Centrifugal chiller compressor

How Does the Centrifugal Chiller Work?

You should understand the basic working principles of the centrifugal chillers to help you operate them better.

Here is a step-by-step process that you can follow to properly operate the centrifugal chillers.

1) Preparing the Centrifugal Chillers

First, you will prepare the machine by loading it up with enough refrigerant fluid as well as the cooling fluid.

You have to make sure that the fluids are of the right quantity in the storage tanks before pressing the start button.

This will signal the machine to release the refrigerant from the refrigerant storage tanks and the evaporator to collect heat.

The refrigerant will flow all the way straight to the compressor system of the centrifugal chillers.

2) Compression of Refrigerant

You will proceed with the process of compression using the centrifugal compressors which will compress the refrigerant.

The compression process will increase the pressure of the refrigerant and the overall speed of movement.

The refrigerant in liquid form, high pressure, and high speed will move from the centrifugal chiller to the evaporator.

3) Absorption of Heat

In the evaporator, one of the things that will happen is the collecting or absorption of heat from the hot flowing water.

The hot flowing water comes from the application system where it collects the heat.

It will move the heat in the water to the evaporator which will help in getting rid of the heat.

In the evaporator, the refrigerant will collect the heat from the flowing hot water and change its form to gas.

The hot gas will load up with enough heat and flow to the condenser which will remove the heat from the refrigerant.

4) Heat Elimination

While at the condenser, the machine will allow the air or water to flow through the system and take away heat.

An increase in residence time will lead to better chances of heat collection from the refrigerants thus condensing the refrigerants.

The condensation process will leave the refrigerant in liquid form and then allow it to move straight to the expansion valve.

5) Pressure Control

Finally, you will control the speed and pressure of the centrifugal chillers using the expansion valve of the machine.

Speed and pressure reduction will help in controlling the movement of the refrigerant back to the compression system.

You should remember that all the above operations occur under the control of the control panel.

In other words, you will control everything that happens on the centrifugal chiller from the control panel.

Centrifugal chiller working

What is Lift in the Centrifugal Chiller?

Lift is the process through which the centrifugal chillers exchange heat to help in keeping your industrial application cool.

It is the difference in temperature between the hot water that leaves the condenser and the cold water that leaves the chiller.

Implying that lift will determine the amount of work that the centrifugal chiller has to do to produce chilling effects.

You will also know the amount of work that the chiller has to perform to drop the refrigerant to the desired temperatures.

With that information, you will understand that fewer efforts of the centrifugal system mean less energy expenditure thus saving cost.

Which Strategies Do You Employ to Reduce Lift in Centrifugal Chillers?

Lift is also the chiller operating pressure in place of the operating temperatures of the chillers.

You should work towards creating an efficient energy system that will reduce the overall lift of the chillers.

Here are some of the strategies that you can employ to reduce lift in centrifugal chillers.

· Chilled Water Reset

You can reduce lift by resetting the temperature of the water supply that is responsible for cooling your building.

This means that your centrifugal compressor will not be working as hard as it should be just by reducing the temperatures.

· Condenser Reset

You can also have a larger water tower or increase the number of fans during the designing process of the centrifugal chillers.

It will help in the provision of enough water and air that will reduce the temperature of heat leaving the condenser.

This will help in reducing the amount of energy expenditure in the process of eliminating heat from the system.

Do You Supply Both Water-Cooled Centrifugal Chillers and Air-Cooled Centrifugal Chillers?

Yes, we supply the two most basic types of centrifugal chillers which include water-cooled chillers and air–cooled chillers.

You will specify on your order details the type of centrifugal chiller that you will need for the chilling process.

The main difference between the water-cooled and air-cooled centrifugal chiller is the type of chilling agent.

You will use water as the main chilling agent in the water-cooled chillers.

On the other hand, you will use air as the main chilling agent in the air-cooled chillers.

Apart from that, all the other systems remain the same except for the point of locating the chillers.

You will house the water-cooled centrifugal chiller in a mechanical room away from the weather elements.

Apart from that, you will have to provide a cooling tower with enough water to help in the elimination of heat.

On the other hand, you will not need a water tower or mechanical room to house the air-cooled centrifugal chillers.

In the case of a mechanical room, you must have plenty of ventilation to provide the machine with enough air.

In addition to that, air-cooled centrifugal chillers are often noisier in comparison to water-cooled centrifugal chillers.

It is the reason why you need to locate the air-cooled chillers in a location outside the building to avoid making noise.

Low noise water cooled centrifugal chiller

How Does a Centrifugal Chiller Compare to a Rotary Scroll Chiller?

Centrifugal chillers and rotary scroll chillers are chilling equipment that you can use in the process of cooling different equipment.

You will note that the main difference between the centrifugal chillers and rotary scroll chillers is the compressor.

Centrifugal chillers use the centrifugal compressor while the t=rotary screw chiller uses the rotary screw compressors.

In addition to that, you will realize that centrifugal chillers are the most efficient type of chiller among the two.

It is efficient in terms of energy consumption and will save you a lot of money in comparison to the scroll chillers.

Most of the systems, in terms of operations in both types of chillers, are the same as they use the same type of refrigerants.

Apart from that, they have similar parts including condensers, evaporators, as well as expansion valves.

You can also opt for the water-cooled or air-cooled versions of the centrifugal or rotary scroll chillers.

Scroll chiller designed by TopChiller.

What is a Surge in Centrifugal Chillers?

The surge in the centrifugal chillers is a particular condition where the refrigerant will tend to move in the opposite direction.

Instead of moving from the condenser to the expansion valve, a surge will force the refrigerant to move backward.

It will move from the condenser of the centrifugal chillers back to the evaporator and then to the compressor.

Surge is a problem that can damage the centrifugal chillers and you can rectify that through proper machine maintenance.

You can also prevent the surge in the system by choosing the right centrifugal chillers that fit your application requirements.

You must also ensure that the centrifugal chillers do not experience low load conditions as that might cause a surge.

What is the Purpose of an Antifreeze in Centrifugal Chillers?

You will use an anti-freeze as an additive that will lower the freezing point of the fluids or refrigerants.

It will help in the depression of freezing points especially when operating the machine in cold environments.

In addition to that, it increases the boiling point of the refrigerant thus allowing it to cool under higher coolant temperatures.

Which Quality Certifications Do You Consider When Choosing a Centrifugal Chiller?

You should always consider using very high-quality centrifugal chillers to increase efficiency in the chilling system and reduce downtime.

There are specific quality certifications that you will have to look at when choosing a centrifugal chiller.

Here are some of the quality specifications which will help you determine a high-quality centrifugal chiller.

Centrifugal chiller

• DIN EN Quality Certifications

You must ensure that your machine has the DIN EN quality certification which certifies quality and environmental management systems.

• AHRI Quality Certifications

You must also have the AHRI quality certification which will ensure that the machine adheres to specific quality requirements.

It becomes specific to particular details that affect the quality of both water-cooled and air-cooled centrifugal chillers.

• CE Quality Certifications

This is the quality certification that will dictate the quality of the centrifugal chillers in the European Union.

• OHSAS Quality Certifications

This quality certification on the centrifugal chillers will help in compliance with occupational safety and health systems.

You will ensure that the centrifugal chiller adheres to the OHSAS quality certification with OHSAS 18001: 2007.

• RoHS Quality Certifications

Your machine should have the ROHS quality certifications which are following the 2011/65/EU.

It will help in the prevention or restriction of hazardous substances from use in the centrifugal chillers.

What are the Typical Operating conditions of the Water-Cooled Centrifugal Chillers?

When operating the centrifugal chillers, you should have specific ARI rating conditions, especially in water-cooled centrifugal chillers.

Here are the standards ARI rating conditions you should work within water-cooled centrifugal chillers.

• Leaving Chilled Water Temperature

You ought to have the leaving chilled water temperature at about 44 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Chilled Water Flow Rate

This is the rate of flow of the chilled water within the water-cooled centrifugal chillers at a rate of 2.4 GPM/ton.

• Entering Condenser Water Temperature

You should also have the temperature of the water entering the condenser at 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Condenser Water Flow Rate

This is the rate of flow of the water within the condenser of the centrifugal chiller at the rate of 3.0 GPM/ton.

• Evaporator Fouling Factor

It should also have an evaporator fouling factor of 0.0001 and 0.00025 condenser fouling factor.

Water-cooled centrifugal chiller leaving chilled water temperature diagram

When is the Best Time for Using Your Centrifugal Chiller?

When choosing an option for your business, you should opt for the centrifugal type of chiller.

It will provide the best type of cooling that you will use for large-scale installations.

Despite the high cost of investment, you will realize that centrifugal chillers are way more economical.

It offers you the freedom of customization to fit the large-scale system with an ROI guarantee throughout their life circle.

You will also use the centrifugal chiller for indoor installations since it requires protection from the weather.

Due to its quiet nature, you can house it in mechanical rooms inside buildings such as hotels and industrial plants.

What are the Typical Industrial Applications of the Centrifugal Chillers?

You can use centrifugal chillers in different types of applications especially those that require large-scale cooling operations.

It is the most efficient type of centrifugal chiller that you will use to cool different types of applications including:

• Hotel Industry

You will use the centrifugal chiller in the hotel industry to cool the kitchens, dining halls, and hotel sleeping rooms.

• Commercial Buildings

It is the most efficient type of chiller that will be able to cool large installations such as large commercial buildings.

• Industrial Plants

It is capable of producing enough cooling systems that will cool off and control the temperatures in different industrial applications.

• Educational Industry

In the educational industry, centrifugal chillers will help in cooling the classrooms and libraries since it makes little to no noise.

• Airport Systems

You will find the centrifugal chillers in the large airport systems to cool the airports where large planes land.

It will cool the waiting rooms to a certain degree to make them comfortable for the airplane passengers.

• Medical Institutions

In medical institutions, centrifugal chillers help in cooling off the high temperature within the hospitals.

Centrifugal chillers are widely used to regulate the temperature of airports

Why Should you Choose Centrifugal Chillers Over other types of Chillers?

All the projects have particular chilling requirements that you can sort out using different types of chillers.

Centrifugal chillers are, however, the best type of chiller that you can use over other types of chillers.

One of the reasons why you should choose centrifugal chillers over other types of chillers is the high level of efficiency.

Apart from that, the footprint of the centrifugal chillers also makes them better than other types of chillers.

In addition to that, you will also use centrifugal chillers in large-scale industries thus making it better than others.

In a nutshell, centrifugal chillers have a smaller footprint, higher efficiency levels, and great cooling capacity.

It is also the most energy-efficient type of chiller that will save you money in the chilling of different applications.

Water-cooled centrifugal chiller

Do You Customize Centrifugal Chillers According to the Specifications of the Customers?

We customize the centrifugal chillers according to the specifications of the customers.

We also help in the designing process of the centrifugal chillers to fit your application requirements.

You should get in touch with us and discuss the matter with us and we will guide you through the whole process.

Customized centrifugal chiller

What are the Limitations of Using the Centrifugal Chillers?

Well, despite the numerous benefits of using centrifugal chillers, there are particular limitations.

Here are the main limitations that you will experience when you use centrifugal chillers.

Here are some of the limitations that you might experience when you use centrifugal chillers.

· High Cost of Purchase

You will spend a lot of money in the process of purchasing the centrifugal chillers since it is very expensive.

Apart from the cost of purchase, you will also spend a lot of money on the installation and testing of the centrifugal chillers.

· Difficult to Maintain

You will also have a lot of difficulty or expenses when it comes to the maintenance of the centrifugal chillers.

It has a hermetic system that is difficult to dismantle when it comes to doing the necessary cleaning procedures.

You might also need to hire professionals who have the information on how to clean and maintain the centrifugal chillers.

How Much Does a Centrifugal Chiller Cost?

You will pay different amounts of money when you are purchasing the centrifugal chillers.

The variation in cost comes as a result of the different types of centrifugal chillers available in the market.

High-quality centrifugal chillers use very high-quality materials thus making the overall cost of the machine high.

On the other hand, low-quality machines have low-quality materials and will cost you less to purchase.

You should also know that cheap machines will require a higher cost of operation as well as maintenance.

Despite the cost, you should often consider the option of high-quality centrifugal chillers.

Nonetheless, you will spend between 10,000 to 300,000 US dollars to purchase the centrifugal chillers.

Low price water cooled centrifugal chiller

What are the Problems that Would Affect the Normal Operations of Centrifugal Chillers?

You might experience a few problems when using centrifugal chillers to cool different application systems.

Since it is not a perfect machine, you should expect to experience a few problems which include:

· Power Failure

You may start the centrifugal chiller and the chiller might fail to start due to power issues.

The cause of the problem might be a dysfunctional power system or broken parts of the power system.

Through proper inspection of the power unit, you will identify the problem and sort it out accordingly.

· Inability of Fluid to Flow

The centrifugal chiller might fail to deliver the fluid from the storage tank to the point of action.

In such a case, the problem might be a blocked system where the fluid will not flow easily.

In the cold areas, the fluid might freeze in the storage unit thus preventing it from flowing.

You can sort this problem by cleaning the pipes regularly t get rid of the molds growing in the pipes.

You should also treat the fluids with an antifreeze that will prevent them from freezing in the storage tank.

Treating the fluid will also help in reducing the growth of molds within the pipes thus eliminating blockage.

How do you Maintain Centrifugal Chillers for optimal Efficiency?

There are particular factors that you have to maintain to increase the efficiency of the centrifugal chillers.

Here are some of the details that you have to follow to increase the optimal efficiency of the centrifugal chillers.

• Proper Record Keeping

You must maintain good records of the performance of the centrifugal chillers daily.

These records will become reference points on the areas that will require improvement to optimize efficiency.

• Regular Inspection Routine

You should inspect the centrifugal chillers a habit to identify faults in the system.

During your inspection, you should note down the physical and working conditions of the centrifugal chillers.

In case of a fault in the system, you can simply replace the faulty or broken part to maintain optimal efficiency.

• Proper Control mechanisms

In addition to that, you must also control the working mechanisms of the machine from the control panel.

You should optimize the working conditions to an extent that every system works optimally thus increasing efficiency.

• Hire Experienced Personnel

You should also consider hiring personnel who have the relevant level of experience in operating the machine.

They will know how to operate and maintain the machine regularly to increase the machine’s efficiency.

• Maintain the Machine Regularly

You must also maintain your centrifugal chillers by cleaning them and lubricating the parts to reduce friction.

Proper cleaning will help in clearing the systems and allowing the system to perform most efficiently.

Centrifugal chiller regular checking

Which Factors Do You Look at When Choosing a Centrifugal Chiller?

Whenever you shop for a centrifugal chiller, there are specific features that you need to pay very close attention to.

You must look at these features about the application requirements within the industry.

Here are the main features that you must pay very close attention to.

• Chilling Capacity

You will look at the chilling capacity of the centrifugal chiller in terms of how much temperature it can control.

It must provide enough chilling effect to an extent where it cools the whole system with minimal effort and energy expenditure.

• Dimensions of the Centrifugal Chiller

You should also look at the dimensions of the centrifugal chiller in terms of size and weight.

The idea is to make it as small and light as possible with the ability to produce maximum cooling performance.

• Budget Considerations

In this case, you will look at the budget considerations in terms of purchasing as well as installation of the centrifugal chillers.

In addition to that, you will look at specific budget factors including cost of management, maintenance, and operating the machine.

• The durability of the Machine

In this case, you will look at factors such as the quality of the machine in terms of the type of manufacturing materials.

You must also know that high-quality machines are highly durable but will also cost you a lot more to purchase.

Which Formula Do You Use to Calculate Temperature Change in the Chilling Fluids?

You can describe the temperature change of the fluid for the evaporator or condenser using this formula.

Q = W × C × ΔTF

In the formula, the letters represent the following details.

• Q is the quantity of the heat that the machine will exchange
• W is the flow rate of the flowing fluid
• C is the specific heat of the fluid in use
• ΔTF is the change in temperature of the fluid in use

What is the Centrifugal Chiller Compressor Theory?

Centrifugal chillers use the centrifugal compressor to compress the refrigerant to increase the overall pressure and speed.

The centrifugal compressor often differs from other compressors which use the positive displacement theory.

Instead, the centrifugal chillers use the turbine or aerodynamic type of compression which moves the refrigerants.

It will move the refrigerant through the conversion of kinetic energy to pressure energy that increases velocity.

As the refrigerant reduces in volume, the pressure increases, and that leads to the creation of positive displacement.

How Do You Increase the Energy Efficiency in Centrifugal Chillers?

You can increase the energy efficiency of the centrifugal chillers by eliminating the factors that consume excess energy.

You can use modern centrifugal chillers that have automatic air purges and run-time meters.

These systems will increase energy efficiency by eliminating the air that gets stuck in the loops of refrigerants.

The regular tracking of the run time will show the presence of a leak that might permit the entry of air into the system.

During the cold season, you can use the water-side economizer which will help in pushing the heat to the atmosphere faster.

You can also check and compare temperature levels and refrigerant readings to the original operational recommendations.

In case of a problem, you will adjust the area that presents the greatest problems to fit the optimal operation requirements.

Centrifugal chiller voltage checking

Which Centrifugal Standard Conditions Do You Test through AHRI Certifications?

You will refer to AHRI working conditions to test the operating conditions of the centrifugal chillers.

It will help in the measurement of the efficiency of the metric more accurately and consistently.

What is COP in the Centrifugal Chillers?

This is a metric of the ratio of cooling output power to the input of the total power.

It is a unitless number since power input and cooling output are both in watts.

The higher the cooling output power (COP) the higher the efficiency of the centrifugal chillers.

Depending on your specific needs, we offer a range of centrifugal chiller systems.

We can configure centrifugal chillers for your unique process needs.

Contact us now for high-performance centrifugal chillers.