Essential Considerations When Buying a Chiller
What Do Chillers Do?
A chiller is a refrigeration system that cools equipment to maintain proper temperatures. It prevents heat damage and ensures systems operate smoothly and efficiently.
An industrial or commercial chiller system uses refrigerant to absorb heat. Water-cooled chillers use water towers to cool equipment, while air-cooled chillers rely on ambient airflow.
Types of Chillers
The main chiller types include air and water chillers. They are distinguished by their different vapor systems:
- Vapor compression: Low-pressure refrigerant vapor is drawn into a compressor and compressed into a high-temperature and high-pressure gas. The gas then travels to the condenser, where it releases heat to a cooling medium.
- Vapor absorption: The refrigerant vapor is absorbed by a solution like lithium bromide, and this process releases heat. The resulting solution travels to a generator, where a heat source turns the refrigerant back into vapor so it can be condensed into a liquid.
We’ve summarized air and water chillers below to help you better understand them. While both have the same parts, including a compressor, evaporator, expansion valve and condenser, their methods of extracting excess heat differ. This difference is indicated in their titles since air chillers extract heat using air, while water chillers use water to extract heat from the system.
Air Chillers
Fans blow cool air into air chillers to regulate the condenser and prevent it from overheating. These chillers are installed on a building’s exterior, saving internal space.
Water Chillers
In water-cooled chillers, water is pumped through a sealed condenser and sprayed through the cooling tower, extracting heat as the water evaporates. This highly effective method saves more energy and money spent on energy bills.
Some common applications for air and water chillers include:
- Commercial buildings: Support HVAC systems to cool shopping malls, office buildings and other large commercial infrastructure
- Data centers: Maintain IT equipment’s and servers’ ideal operating temperatures, as their heat sensitivity affects their ability to operate optimally
- Cooling systems: Required for food and beverage storage and transportation to maintain their integrity
- Medical and research facilities: Controls temperatures to ensure equipment and biological samples are stored correctly
- Pharmaceuticals: Ensures optimal temperatures for drug production and storage
- The automotive industry: Cools paint booths to maintain the correct temperatures for spray painting and helps control temperatures for vehicle component testing facilities
Considerations When Buying an Industrial Chiller
Before purchasing an industrial chiller, determine the right type for your specifications and choose the best product. Here are some aspects that may influence your decision.
Application
Equipment use is one of the first variables to consider when buying a chiller. Various applications require different chillers, and understanding which kind you need is an excellent start to the buying process.
Size
For many unit applications, size and efficiency go hand in hand. An oversized chiller can consume more energy than necessary, cutting your profit margins. Meanwhile, an undersized chiller may struggle to meet your facility’s needs. A compact chiller that removes the heat from your equipment allows you to cool it effectively while saving energy and money. To determine the correct chiller size for your facility, you must determine the heat load, temperature, flow rate, and coolant type required for your equipment.
While many industrial chiller manufacturers offer mass-produced cooling products, it’s best to partner with one that offers customization. An experienced chiller manufacturer can provide cooling options that meet your industry specifications. When you order a custom-sized chiller, you can rely on it to support your needs.
Location
The ideal chiller relies on your equipment location. Outdoor applications are prone to fluctuating ambient temperatures, while the air surrounding indoor applications may reach excessively high temperatures. Because of these natural temperature differences, indoor or outdoor equipment may require particular sizing or specific accessories such as sump heaters, heat tracing, insulated components, or special controls for components.
Safety
Installing a safe chiller is crucial for your equipment, employees and facility. If you operate in hazardous conditions or process flammable chemicals, an explosion-proof chiller is essential to preventing potential explosions. Only consult with an experienced manufacturer that designs and builds systems to meet National Fire Protection Association standards.
Temperature Control Needs
Choosing a high-quality chiller is vital for work requiring precise temperature control. Reliable, custom-designed chiller systems offer this feature to prevent damage and ensure your equipment operates efficiently.
If your leaving temperature must remain below 35 degrees Fahrenheit, you may require a low-temperature chiller. Choosing the correct chiller ensures your business operations continue smoothly without failure. Reputable manufacturers have the knowledge and technology to design and build quality low-temperature chiller systems, providing you with the necessary temperature control.
Cooling Fluid
Cooling fluid can affect your chiller system, so don’t neglect this factor. Common cooling fluids are propylene glycol mix, Dynalene heat transfer, and water and specialized fluids. Your municipal water supply can contain contaminants that corrode chiller components.
While using a glycol-water mix is always best, your cooling system may require additional filtration if you pull from a city water source. Consult with your manufacturer to determine if your operating temperatures can affect fluid viscosity.
Voltage
Some chillers may have voltages requiring specific electrical work. To decide which type of chiller you purchase, determine what voltage your facility can support and how much electrical work your budget allows. You should also consult the chiller manufacturer about which voltage options support more efficient operation.
Cost
Cost is also a critical factor. Before purchasing a chiller, consider its upfront cost, operating costs, potential maintenance costs, and expected life span. Air-cooled systems typically have a higher upfront cost and more installation work than water-cooled systems. They also consume a significant amount of energy to power fans, but they can reduce operating costs because they lack the cooling tower that a water-cooled system requires.
Consider your daily usage. While a central chiller typically costs less than a portable chiller, a portable system may better suit your needs if you need cooling for various purposes at different times.
A chiller’s return on investment depends on its life span. While one model may have a higher initial cost, getting a system with longevity is worthwhile. Comparing different models and designs can help you choose the system with the best financial benefits.
How to Size a Chiller
Sizing a chiller depends on several variables. A critical factor in determining the cooling load requirements is all the heat the chiller must remove and where it originates. For example, several heat sources can exist in a building, including the processes that run machinery and equipment and the heat generated from them. People occupying the space also contribute to the total heat load.
Then, consider heat from external sources such as the temperature outside and heat that infiltrates, especially in warmer climates.
The correct formula helps determine the required chiller size. This process is represented in four steps:
- Calculate the temperature differential: Calculate this variable with the formula of incoming water temperature (for example, 65 degrees Fahrenheit) minus the required chilled water temperature (55 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature differential is 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Calculate BTU/hr: British Thermal Units per hour indicate how much heat is removed from a space in an hour. For example, 4 gallons per minute x 60 minutes (4 GPM x 60) x 8.33 x 10 degrees Fahrenheit = 19,992 BTU/hr.
- Calculate the tons of cooling capacity: Divide the BTU/hr by 12,000 to get the required tonnage.
- Round up after oversizing the chiller by 20%: Determine the chiller size by multiplying the ideal ton size by 1.2 and rounding it up. For example, if the ideal ton size is 1.666 multiplied by 1.2 to get 1.9992, you’ll need a 2-ton chiller.
To explain this further, if you need to cool 6 gallons per minute (GPM) from 65 degrees Fahrenheit — the incoming water temperature — to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the required chilled water temperature, the flow rate is 6 GPM.
Other factors in chiller sizing include choosing the appropriate chiller type for your application and knowing the required flow rate, inlet and outlet temperatures, and the cooling and buffer capacity.
Why Work With Smart Family of Cooling Products?
Choosing a high-quality chiller is essential — now you know how many factors influence your purchasing decision. Consulting with a reputable chiller manufacturer can help you navigate your options.
Smart Family of Cooling Products manufactures high-quality chillers and offers professional consultation to guide you through purchasing, installation and beyond. Our unique expertise informs clients about their options and determines which systems best meet their needs. When you work with Smart Family, you can discuss your specifications with a knowledgeable engineer who will help you make an informed decision.
Our experts focus on technical details such as application, sizing, location, cooling fluid, temperature control needs, voltage and safety features, equipping us with the information necessary to design and build effective systems.
As a leader in the cooling industry and one of the top chiller manufacturers in the USA, we have experience manufacturing chillers according to custom specifications. We are also one of the few manufacturers able to build explosion-proof and low-temperature systems according to strict codes and standards.
Find the Right Chiller With Smart Family of Cooling Products
Purchasing the chiller that meets your specifications lets you cool your equipment while saving energy and money. Before committing to a product, consider essential details and consult a reputable manufacturer about your application.
Smart Family of Cooling Products can guide you through purchasing by focusing on your needs. We offer reliable, efficient chiller systems to provide your company’s equipment with the necessary cooling you can count on.
Contact us to learn more about our wide range of commercial and industrial chillers, or complete our form for an instant chiller quote!
