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Industrial Chiller: The Ultimate FAQ Guide

In this guide, you will find all information you need about industrial chillers.

From classification criteria, improving efficiency, quality standards to working principles – you will find everything about industrial chillers here.

So, if you want to learn more, read this guide.

What is Industrial Chiller?

Industrial chillers are cooling systems that dehumidify the air and get rid of excess heat in industrial and commercial facilities.

Industrial Chiller

How Do You Increase the Efficiency of the Industrial Chillers?

You ought to have a particular measure that will save the cost of operation while increasing the output of industrial chillers.

Here are some of the measures that you have to place under consideration to increase efficiency.

i. Proper Maintenance of the Industrial Chillers

You must maintain your industrial chillers by doing proper cleaning, lubrication, and change of parts.

You must create a maintenance schedule and informative software to remind you of the maintenance time.

ii. Maintain Operating Log

You should also have proper records on how the industrial chillers perform daily for comparison purposes.

Comparing this data will help you detect problems that may slow down the entire operations of the machine.

iii. Keep the Tubes Clean

You must also clean the tubes regularly to enable proper heat transfer throughout the system.

Cleaning the tubes of the industrial chillers will get rid of the algae, mud, and sludge that hinder proper operations.

iv. Ensuring Leak Free Units

In this case, you will inspect the compressors and fluid supply systems for leaks that degrade the normal operations.

You should do this after every 3 months to prevent the entry of non-condensable which affects the operations of the machine.

v. Sustenance of Proper Water Treatment

You must also treat the water to prevent cases of corrosion, biological growths, and scales that hinder proper performance.

There are one-time chemical treatments that you can use for closed water systems to treat the water regularly.

vi. Proper Analysis of Oil and Refrigerants

It is also important to do a proper analysis of the refrigerants as well as the oil in the industrial chillers.

Analysis of the oil and refrigerants will help you determine the right fill levels and the right time for filling and replacements.

Which Types of Industrial Chiller do you have?

We have three different types of Industrial chillers for you to choose from.

Here are the three main types of industrial chillers that you should pay close attention to.

Industrial air chiller

Air chiller uses air as a cooling agent that assists in getting rid of excess heat from commercial and industrial applications.

Industrial Water Chillers

Water chillers use water as the main cooling agent which will get rid of too much heat from the industrial application.

Industrial water chiller

Industrial Evaporative Condensed Chillers

This is the most efficient alternative that you can opt for among the industrial chillers.

It employs the principle of evaporation to help in transferring heat from the room into the atmosphere.

How Does the Industrial Water Chiller Compare to the Industrial Air Chiller?

Well, the main difference between industrial air chillers and industrial water chillers is the cooling agent.

Just from the name, you will note that industrial water chillers use water as the main cooling agent.

On the other hand, industrial air chillers depend on water as the main cooling agent.

Apart from that, the components of the industrial water chillers and industrial air chillers are almost the same.

In addition to that, both industrial water chillers and industrial air chillers have subcategories which include:

• Reciprocating Chilling Systems
• Screw Driven Chilling Systems
• Centrifugal Chilling Systems
• Absorption Chilling Systems

What is the difference between Industrial Water-Cooled Water Chiller and Industrial Air-Cooled Water Chiller?

Cooling towers or industrial water-cooled water chillers use humid streams of air.

In this case, the cooling agent will involve a mixture of water spray and an ambient air stream to get rid of heat.

On the other hand, industrial air-cooled water chillers use currents of ambient air to help in getting rid of excess heat.

Air-cooled water chiller

Apart from that, the industrial water-cooled water chillers often cost less to acquire even though it wastes water.

Water-cooled water chiller

Air-cooled water chillers are often costly but you can use them in areas with a limited supply of water.

How does Air Cooled Screw Chiller compare to Water Cooled Screw Chiller?

Air-cooled screw chillers are devices that use air as the main cooling agent.

On the other hand, the water-cooled screw chillers use water as the main cooling agent.

Despite the difference, both types of chillers depend on screw compression technology to cool different systems.

Air cooled screw chiller

What are the Industrial Chiller Components?

The industrial chillers work with the assistance of various components that contribute different functional ideas.

Here are the main components of industrial chillers that you ought to know more about.

· Evaporators

The evaporator is responsible for picking the unwanted heat from the industrial application and into the refrigerant.

After that, the refrigerant will move the heat to the cooling towers which will eliminate and expel the heat.

· Compressors

You will depend on the compressors to create the greatest pressure difference that will help in moving the refrigerant.

There are different types of compressors in the market including screw, scroll, reciprocating and centrifugal compressors.

· Condensers

You will use the condensers to eliminate the heat that the refrigerant collects from the industrial application.

You can either use the air condensers or the water condensers to assist in getting rid of excess heat.

· Expansion Valves

The expansion valve is responsible for the expansion of the refrigerant thus increasing the volume and reducing its pressure.

An increase in the volume of the refrigerant from the expansion valve will enable the refrigerant to pick heat from the evaporator.

· PLC Control System

The PLC control system is responsible for configuring and programming the industrial chillers to work accordingly.

It also allows you to operate and monitor all the operations of the industrial chiller from a remote location.

· Power Unit

The power units provide sufficient amounts of power that can run the functions and activities of the industrial chillers.

It comes complete with switches and fuses that cut off power supply systems in case of excess flow of power.

Industrial chiller parts

What are the Applications of the Industrial Chillers?

You will use the industrial chillers to draw enough heat from different industrial applications.

Here are some of the industrial applications where you will use the industrial chillers.

• Plastic industry in applications such as injection molding
• Food and beverage industry
• The chemical and pharmaceutical industry
• Metal finishing industry
• Semiconductors industry
• Laser cutting industry
• Machine tooling and die-cutting industry
• Composite manufacturing industry
• Commercial printing industry
• Transport manufacturing industry

What is Industrial Chiller Working Principle?

You must have the right knowledge of how the industrial chillers work for a better production experience.

Here is an explanation detailing how different types of industrial chillers work.

· Industrial Water Chillers

Here, you will have a condenser that is cooled with water as the main cooling agent and a water-cooling tower.

You will use this type of chillers in industrial applications where the supply of water is plenty.

It has relative independence to the fluctuation of temperatures thus making it the most efficient mode of industrial chilling systems.

The operations begin with the flow of the refrigerant within the industrial chillers towards the evaporator.

At this point, the refrigerant is still a low-pressure liquid or gas flowing towards the evaporator.

The heat coming from the process water will heat the refrigerant and change its state from liquid to gas.

After that, the low-pressure gas will flow to the compressor where it will be compressed into a high-pressure gas.

It will gain enough pressure and momentum to flow to the condenser.

While at the condenser, the condenser water will eliminate the heat from the refrigerant changing it to a high-pressure liquid.

With enough momentum, the high-pressure liquid will flow straight to the expansion valve.

The expansion valve is responsible for controlling the amount of high-pressure liquid flowing to the evaporator.

At that point, the entire process of the industrial water chiller begins all over again.

· Industrial Air Chillers

Just like the industrial water chilling systems, industrial air chillers begin the entire process within the evaporators.

It begins with the mixture of low-pressure liquid and gas systems which enters into the evaporator to collect heat.

This is the heat that comes from the industrial application that will heat the refrigerant thus changing it to gas.

In its gaseous state, the refrigerant will flow to the compressors which will compress it into a high-pressure gas.

The high-pressure gas will flow from the compressor straight to the condenser.

While at the condenser, an air cooling agent will collect the heat from the high-pressure gas.

After that, the high-pressure gas will change into a high-pressure liquid and flow to the expansion valve.

The air-cooling agent will eliminate the heat to the atmosphere as it blows away.

The expansion valve will control the amount of high-pressure liquid flowing into the evaporator.

It will change its state from a high-pressure liquid into a low-pressure mix of fluids as the process begins all over again.

· Industrial Evaporative Condensed Chillers

 Evaporative condensed chillers

Evaporative condensed chillers maximize the process of heat rejection through maximum efficiency.

It employs a recirculating water system that provides continuous wetting of condenser tubes.

At the same time, the fans will draw enough air over the tubes leading to evaporation of the water.

The water that evaporates moves along with the heat thus getting rid of the heat from the entire system.

The evaporation rate is usually the function of wet bulb temperatures.

Low wet-bulb temperatures lead to a reduction of condensing temperatures while increasing thermal efficiency.

It requires less airflow and coil surface in comparison to air-cooled chillers thus increasing efficiency while reducing noise levels.

How do you Maintain Industrial Chillers?

You should strive to reach the peak efficiency of the industrial chillers by maintaining them regularly.

You must, therefore, have a schedule that you must adhere to strictly when maintaining the industrial chillers.

The maintenance process of the industrial chillers involves cleaning the systems such as vents and tubes that supply cooling fluids.

Apart from that, you must also make sure that you clean the filters to get rid of debris that will hinder proper airflow.

You must also schedule a proper inspection of the entire system to check every part of the industrial chillers.

During this period, you will replace the worn-out parts and also refill the oil, water, and refrigerant reservoirs.

In addition to inspection, you must also lubricate the moving parts of the industrial chillers to reduce the effects of friction.

Industrial chiller maintenances

How Can You Use the Industrial Chillers to Boost Your Business?

Well, you can boost your business by ensuring that the industrial chillers perform at maximum efficiency levels.

Here are some of the factors that you should employ within the industrial chiller to improve your business.

• Do proper maintenance of the industrial chillers regularly to maximize the efficiency
• Employ well-trained personnel who have proper knowledge on how to handle the industrial chillers well.
• Optimize the control mechanisms to reach the optimum point of industrial chiller operations.
• Use very high-quality machine components that will work at optimum levels with minimal downtime.
• Improve the working conditions by supplying all the requirements that the machine requires for maximum production.
• Locating the industrial chillers at strategic points where they would work at maximum efficiency.

For instance, you will place the industrial air chillers outside and the industrial water chillers in mechanical rooms.

• You must also have proper knowledge of the working principles of the industrial chillers.
• Know all the components of the industrial chillers so that you may change them if the need arises.
• You should also have proper knowledge of how to troubleshoot the industrial chillers in case of a problem.
• Purchase your industrial chillers from suppliers with high levels of credibility to avoid purchasing fake machines.

Which is the Best Location for an Industrial Chiller?

You will locate the industrial chillers at different locations depending on the type of industrial chiller.

The place for locating the industrial air chillers is outside the establishment where there is enough flow of air.

Apart from that, you can also have a mechanical room with enough ventilation to place the industrial air chillers.

Constructing a mechanical room with proper ventilation will allow the air chillers to operate at maximum efficiency.

On the other hand, you will also need a mechanical room to house the industrial water chillers.

In this case, you will not have to create proper ventilation but proper access to enough water supply.

You can have a water-cooling tower that will replenish the water supply for the entire water chilling system.

Which Types of Compressors Can You Use in Industrial Chiller?

There are four main types of compressors that you can use in the process of cooling different industrial applications.

Here are the four main types of compressors that you can choose from depending on the application.

· Reciprocating Compressors

It uses pistons that have crankshafts that drive the while reciprocating compressor systems.

Reciprocating compressors assist in the delivery of minimal amounts of refrigerants at very high pressure.

It can carry dual voltage ranging from three to sixty horsepowers and are also semi-hermetic for servicing purposes.

· Centrifugal Compressors

You will use this type of compressor to supply high volumes of refrigerants while using very limited pressure.

It has moving parts that make them a favorite as they conserve a lot of energy while producing high refrigerant flow.

· Screw Compressors

This type of compressor has male and female screw compressors fitted in a single housing unit.

As the screw rotors rotate, it leads to a compression of the refrigerant thus increasing the refrigerant pressure.

· Scroll Compressors

You can also opt for the scroll compressor which will compress the refrigerant as automobile superchargers.

It also employs the services of a vacuum pump to help in the compression and pushing of the refrigerant.

What is the Difference Between the Shell & Tube Evaporator and the Brazed Plate Evaporators?

There are two types of evaporators that you can have on the industrial chilling systems.

Hera is the two types of evaporators that you can use in different chilling applications.

· Shell and Tube Evaporators

This type of evaporator has the refrigerant flowing in the tube side and the process fluid on the shell side.

it has very low-pressure drops and can have an entire capacity of about 500 tons in standards construction.

· Brazed Plate Evaporators

This is a highly efficient and low-cost type of evaporator with very strong materials that do not corrode easily.

You can have it from as low as 140 tons in standard construction or even bigger depending on the application requirements.

Which Types of Refrigerants Do You Use in Industrial Chillers?

There are different types of refrigerants that you can use in different types of industrial applications.

Here is a list of refrigerants that you can use in different industrial applications.

• Ammonia
• Hydrocarbons
• Propane
• Propylene
• Butane
• Isobutane
• NH₃

How Do Industrial Chillers Compare to Industrial HVAC Systems?

You can either decide to use industrial chillers or industrial HVAC systems to cool different applications.

Industrial HVAC systems will allow for proper regulation of humidity and air temperature levels in confined spaces.

It is best for smaller spaces such as offices and small buildings within the industrial application.

On the other hand, you can use industrial chillers in wider cooling process applications.

Even though you cannot control the humidity and air temperature, it is best for larger applications.

Industrial HVAC system

Which Quality Standards Should Industrial Chillers Manufacturer adhere to?

You must purchase industrial chillers that adhere to international quality standards.

Here are the main international quality standards that your industrial chiller must adhere to.

• Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) Quality Standards
• CE Quality Standards
• EN Quality Standards such as EN 12309-2
• DIN Quality Standards such as DIN 33830-4
• ANSI Quality Standards such as ANSI/AHRI 560

How Do You Choose a Good Industrial Chiller?

When choosing an industrial chiller, there are specific factors that you have to place under proper consideration.

Here are the main features that you ought to pay close attention to:

Industrial chiller

· Cooling Capacity

You will look at the cooling capacity of the industrial chillers in comparison to that of the industrial application requirement,

In case you have an industrial application that produces excess heat, you will use industrial chillers with high chilling capacities.

Energy Efficiency

You will choose an industrial chiller that uses very little energy while maximizing the cooling or chilling output.

It will help in increasing the efficiency of production while reducing the overall cost of production.

· Controls

You must also look for an industrial chiller with the most modern and efficient type of controls.

It should allow you to monitor, control, and configure the operation of the industrial chillers from remote locations.

· Cost

Industrial chillers are costly machines so you need a good budget that will allow you to purchase and manage the machine.

What is an Industrial Brine Chiller?

Industrial brine chillers are types of chillers that employ the services of brine and antifreeze refrigerants.

You will use this type of chiller in an application where the operating temperatures are lower than normal.

Apart from that, you can employ it in cooling very high specific heat in low viscosity fluids.

It assists in satisfactory heat transfers and does not corrode the metallic materials of the machine.

It is also a very affordable mode of cooling in industrial chiller systems.

How Do You Ensure Safety When You are Operating the Industrial Chillers?

You must be very careful when you are dealing with industrial chillers.

In that case, you must read all the safety instructions for using the industrial chillers before you operate the machine.

In addition to that, the industrial chillers have sensors that will send warning signals in case of impending danger.

It can also shut down automatically when the danger is imminent to protect you and the machine.

You must, therefore, ensure that the safety sensor systems are working properly for your safety.

What are the Benefits of Using the Industrial Chillers?

Industrial Chillers will assist in keeping your machines at a safe working temperature by cooling the components.

Here are some of the benefits that you will derive from using industrial chillers.

· Tight Control of Temperature

You will receive tight temperature control systems that will help in cooling your equipment while saving on the cost of energy.

It employs variable frequency drives as well as recirculation tanks that assist in proper maintenance of the temperature.

· Scalability of Industrial Chillers

Industrial chillers have the capability of supporting numerous equipment within the industrial application at the same time.

It allows you to figure out better systems that you can add to the production systems for growth.

· Continuous Operations

You will also enjoy the redundancy options that will keep the industrial chillers cool and operational over extended periods.

It will help all the other equipment to remain within manageable temperatures even in extended hours of operation.

· Oil Chilling Capability

It also comes complete with oil chilling systems that improve the reliability, efficiency as well as durability of the equipment.

It allows your machines or equipment to cope well within harsh environmental conditions thus reducing downtime.

Do You Customize Industrial Chillers According to Customers Specifications?

Yes, we customize industrial chillers according to your specifications.

You should get in touch with us and we will guide you through every step of customizing your industrial chillers.

We have a whole team of designers who will assist you with the process of designing the industrial chillers.

You will also receive guidance on the best working specifications and technological improvements that you may consider on your machine.

With the help of our team, you can choose to use the following forms of customization:

• Full or Partial Redundancy Customization
• Heat Exchanger and Tank Customization
• Controls Customization

How Much Does an Industrial Chiller Cost?

The cost of the industrial chillers usually varies depending on quite a several factors.

One of the factors that influence the cost of industrial chillers is the type of industrial chillers.

On average, you will pay around 1,300 US dollars per ton of the industrial air-cooled chillers.

On the other hand, you will pay approximately 1,700 US dollars per ton of the industrial water-cooled chillers.

You will spend about 260,000 US Dollars on a 200-ton industrial air-cooled chiller plant.

On the flip side, a 200-ton water-cooled chiller will cost you between 340,000 and 400, 000 for the water-cooled chillers.

How Do You Troubleshoot an Industrial Chiller?

There are particular instances when you will experience trouble with the industrial chillers.

You can know the source of the problems by troubleshooting your industrial chiller.

Here are some of the problems and solutions that you might come across.

· High Discharge of Pressure

It is a very common problem that occurs in water-cooled chillers due to improper treatment of the water.

It can also be a result of low water levels within the system resulting in the minimal flow of water in the condensers.

You can solve this problem by ensuring that you treat the water and ensure proper water levels within the system.

· Low Discharge of Pressure

It usually occurs when the suction valve of the industrial chillers has partial closures and also through refrigerant undercharge.

Apart from that, the ambient temperatures can be too low and obstructed or dirty evaporators.

You can solve these problems by setting up the systems well and configuring the valves accordingly.

Apart from that, you should maintain and clean the evaporators well within a particular schedule.

· Low Suction Pressure

You might also experience low suction pressure due to low refrigerant charge and blocked expansion valves.

Apart from that, you must also look at the filter driers and the strainers for any form of obstruction to airflow.

You must have a proper filling system where you will automatically fill the refrigerants to maintain proper levels.

· Electrical Faults

There are cases where your industrial chillers may fail due to electric faults such as improper connections and loose wires.

With the help of an electrician, you should be able to restore the power connections and solve the electric faults.

What are the Limitations of Using an Industrial Chiller?

Despite the numerous benefits, you may also come across a few limitations of using industrial chillers.

Here are the main limitations that should never discourage you from using industrial chillers.

Industrial chiller system

· High Cost of Purchase and Installation

Industrial chillers are often very expensive to purchase and to install within your industrial applications.

You must have a proper budget that will be able to sustain the purchase and installation process smoothly.

· High Levels of Maintenance

You will also spend a considerable amount of money and time in the maintenance process of the industrial chillers.

The higher the frequency of maintenance the more the downtime thus limiting the production process as well as time.

· Requires Mechanical Room

You must also have a mechanical room where you will house the industrial chillers.

This is especially true when you are dealing with water-cooled industrial chillers.

· Leads to Wastage of Water

You must also have a proper source of water for the water-cooled industrial chillers.

It leads to a lot of wastage of water especially if the area does not have enough water supplies.

What is the Energy Consumption of Industrial Chillers?

Industrial chillers use an average of more than 40% of the total industrial energy consumed.

This is considered a very high amount of energy considering it is responsible for cooling purposes only.

It is, therefore, very important to ensure that you enable the most efficient mode of energy conservation and maximizing production.

How does Vapor Compression Technology work in Industrial Chillers?

Vapor compression technology uses the reverse-Rankine cycle which you can also identify as vapor compression.

It employs the use of any of the four types of compressors which include:

• Reciprocating Compression
• Screw Driven Compression
• Scroll Compression
• Centrifugal Compression

Most of the above compressors use power from electric motors, gas turbines, and steam.

In this case, you will use electric power to drive the vapor compression technology due to high-efficiency levels.

It is also the easiest source of power that you can use to cheat the system and also cool with the available refrigerant.

Here, the heat engine will run backward where heat will flow from cold reservoirs to hot reservoirs.

The latent heat of vaporization from the refrigerant transfers heat while pressure changes control the absorption and expulsion of heat energy.

Apart from that, you must make sure that the boiling point of the refrigerant in use is at fairly low levels.

Are there New Technologies in Industrial Chillers?

There are new technologies in Industrial chillers that help in increasing efficiency and saving energy thus increasing overall production.

Here are some of the new developments in industrial chillers that you should think of adopting.

• Variable-Speed Drives with Integral Power Electronic Controls
• Electronic Commutated Motors (ECM)
• Adaptive Controls
• Electronic Expansion Valves
• Efficient Data Collection and Communication Systems
• Footprint Reduction
• Material Considerations and Design Improvements

At TopChiller, we offer high-performance chiller systems for the specific needs of your applications.

Depending on your unique requirements, TopChiller will custom make industrial chillers according to your needs.

Contact us now for the best prices on industrial chillers.