Why use an industrial water chiller ?
No industrial process, machine, or motor is 100% efficient, with heat being the most common byproduct of those inefficiencies. If this heat is not removed, it will accumulate over time causing reduced production times, equipment shutdowns, and even premature equipment failure. It is necessary to incorporate cooling into industrial process system design to avoid these issues.
Industrial water chillers are essential components in various industries where precise temperature control of process equipment, machinery, and products is crucial. They efficiently remove heat from industrial processes by circulating chilled water through the system, thereby maintaining a stable operating temperature. Let's delve deeper into their structure, specifications, applications, and selection criteria.
Using a industrial water chiller to provide cooling has multiple benefits. A chiller provides consistent temperature and pressure to your industrial process. Eliminating temperature and pressure variables simplifies the process development and optimization, ensuring the highest quality product. Instead of a wasteful, single-pass-through system, a chiller recirculates the cooling water. The recirculation minimizes the cost of water consumption which can be expensive and environmentally unfriendly.
How does an industrial water chiller work?
In most process cooling applications, a pumping system circulates cool water or a water/glycol solution from the chiller to the process. This cool fluid removes heat from the process and the warm fluid returns to the chiller. The process water is the means by which heat transfers from the process to the chiller.
Industrial water chillers contain a chemical compound, called a refrigerant. There are many types of refrigerant and applications depending on the temperatures required but they all work on the basic principle of compression and phase-change of the refrigerant from a liquid to a gas and back to a liquid. This process of heating and cooling the refrigerant and changing it from a gas to a liquid and back again is the refrigeration cycle.
The refrigeration cycle starts with a low-pressure liquid/gas mix entering the evaporator. In the evaporator, heat from the process water or water/glycol solution boils the refrigerant, which changes it from a low-pressure liquid to a low-pressure gas. The low-pressure gas enters the compressor where it is compressed to high-pressure gas. The high-pressure gas enters the condenser where ambient air or condenser water removes heat to cool it to a high-pressure liquid. The high-pressure liquid travels to the expansion valve, which controls how much liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator, thereby beginning the refrigeration cycle again.
Industrial water chillers typically consist of several key components:
1. Compressor: The compressor is the heart of the chiller system, responsible for compressing the refrigerant gas to increase its temperature and pressure.
2. Condenser: The high-pressure, high-temperature refrigerant gas is then condensed in the condenser, where it releases heat and transforms into a liquid state.
3. Expansion Valve: This valve regulates the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator and controls its pressure and temperature.
4. Evaporator: In the evaporator, the low-pressure liquid refrigerant absorbs heat from the process water, causing it to evaporate and cool the water.
5. Refrigerant: Various refrigerants such as R-134a, R-410a, and R-407c are commonly used in industrial water chillers, each offering specific performance characteristics and environmental considerations.
6. Pump: A pump circulates the chilled water from the chiller to the application, ensuring consistent cooling.
7. Control Panel: Modern industrial water chillers feature advanced control panels for monitoring and adjusting temperature, pressure, and other parameters.
How to choose an industrial water chiller?
Key specifications to consider when selecting an industrial water chiller include:
1. Cooling Capacity: Measured in tons of refrigeration (TR) or kilowatts (kW), cooling capacity indicates the amount of heat a chiller can remove from the process water per unit of time.
Here normally we adopt the formular belows:
Heat Load= C(specific heat)* M(quality output per hour )*Temp Change(T1-T2)
If take water's specifications to the formula, then we could get Cooling Capacity(kw)= Flow Rate(m3/h)*Temp Change(T1-t2)/0.86
So here we simply see that we need to see the water flow, water temp inlet, water temp outlet and whether you need to considerate 10% or 20% as backup.
What else should I notice after confirming the cooling capacity of chiller?
Other important chiller specifications include the power supply, water pump, the water connection size, refrigerant, and the evaporator type, tank and so on.
1.1 Power Supply
Power supply is different for different countries , the common power supplies are 208-230V, 380-420V,440-480V,50Hz or 60Hz, 3phase.
1.2 Water Pump
When you confirmed the chiller size, normally we will equip an water pump based on water flow for 5C temp difference and 2bar pressure.If need bigger pressure pls inform us additionally.
1.3 Connection Size
This usually depends on the water flow rate. If you want your new chiller to match your old pipes,pls confirm with us whether can be customize accordingly.
1.4 Refrigerant
R22, R410A, R407C, R404A, R134A are optional choices.
R22: good cooling effect, but R22 is considered a powerful greenhouse gas, so it's forbidden in most countries.
R410A: eco-friendly, R-410A has replaced R-22 as the preferred refrigerant for use in residential and commercial air conditioners in Japan, Europe, and the United States. R-410A operates at higher pressures than other refrigerants.
R407C: a good replacement for R22, good cooling effect.
R404A: suitable for application that requires low temperature(below -30°c).
R134A: a non-flammable gas used primarily as a "high-temperature" refrigerant, suitable for air-cooled chiller working at a high ambient temperature.
1.5 Evaporator Choose
Normally there are two types of evaporators.
1.Shell and tube type evaporator, which requires an additional water buffer tank to use(not necessary but highly recommended).
2.Cooling coil tank which has a built-in water storage tank for more convenient use. So there's no need for extra buffer tanks, but higher maintenance.
These two evaporator coils can be made of 2 materials, copper or stainless steel tube.
What is the difference between these 2 options?
Copper tube: better heat transfer efficiency.
Stainless steel tube (304 or 316): also known as food-grade material, it is suitable for the food/beverage industry and can avoid water contamination.
2.Outlet temperature Range: The range of temperatures over which the chiller can maintain precise control is critical and should align with the requirements of the specific industrial process.
3. Energy Efficiency: Energy efficiency is essential to minimize operating costs and environmental impact. Look for chillers with high energy efficiency ratings, such as those certified by ENERGY STAR or equivalent standards.
4. Footprint: The physical size of the chiller is important, especially in space-constrained industrial environments. Consider both the footprint and height to ensure proper installation and maintenance access.
5. Noise Level: Some industrial environments require low noise levels for worker comfort and safety. Choose chillers with noise-reducing features if noise is a concern.
6. Maintenance Requirements: Opt for chillers with easy maintenance access points and minimal maintenance requirements to reduce downtime and operating costs.
7. Material Construction: The construction material should be durable and corrosion-resistant to withstand harsh industrial conditions.
FAQ:
1. What's cooling capacity unit conversion for industrial water chiller?
1 kcal/h = 1.163W, 1 W = 0.8598 kcal/h1 Btu/h = 0.2931W, 1 W = 3.412 Btu/h1 RT(Ton) = 3.517 kW, 1 kW = 0.28434 RT(Ton)
2. What's the difference between water cooled and air cooled industrial water chiller?
Water cooled water chiller needs a SEPERATE cooling tower and has a higher heat exchange efficiency.
Air-cooled chiller has no need for an extra cooling tower, but with lower heat exchange efficiency.
The installation of air cooling is easier than water cooling. Water cooling system needs to connect to cooling tower. But water cooling system is more energy saving and higher efficiency
3. Does the industrial water chiller unit include a water pump?
Yes, the unit is fully packaged. It has a pump, water tank, fans(Air-cooled model), compressor, evaporator, and condenser. Also can come fully charged with refrigerant(Freon).
4. Can you make the industrial water chiller customized?
Yes, over 70% of our business is customized and we have the shortest custom lead times in the industry. Our custom capabilities include electrical specs and controls, custom flow requirements, custom temperature requirements and ambient conditions, and custom sizes and frames.
5. What is the warranty of the indsutrial water chiller?
The standard warranty is 12 months. If parts broken within 12 months, we'll send you new parts for replacement for free.
6. What is the HS code of the indusrtrial water chiller?
8418699090
Some pictures for your reference:
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