WHAT IS A CHILLER & HOW DOES IT WORK?

WHAT IS A CHILLER & HOW DOES IT WORK? | INDUSTRIAL CHILLER WORKING PRINCIPLE

If your facility uses process fluids or heavy-duty machinery that generates heat, you'll need an industrial chiller system to cool your processes and internal machine components. Understanding how an industrial chiller works and the various types available will help you make the right choice for your cooling needs.

What Is a Chiller?

An industrial chiller is a refrigeration system that lowers the temperature of machinery, industrial spaces, and process fluids by removing heat from the system and transferring it elsewhere. Industrial chillers are essential for temperature regulation in several industrial processes, such as injection molding, metal plating, oilfield production, and food processing.

Why Use a Chiller?

Chiller systems are beneficial for applications where strict operational temperatures are required. When integrated with heat-sensitive processes, these chillers will prevent thermal damage to equipment and ensure that no alterations occur to the final products due to unsuitable temperatures.

Working Principles

Industrial chillers work based on the following principles of operation.

1. Phase Change: When heated, a liquid coolant undergoes a phase change into a gas, and when the gaseous coolant is supercooled, it condenses back into a liquid.
2. Heat Flow: Heat energy always flows from an area of high concentration to an area of lower concentration.
3. Boiling Point: Reducing the pressure over a liquid decreases its boiling point, and increasing the pressure increases its boiling point.

How Does a Chiller Work?

An industrial chiller system is driven by one of two operational principles:

• Heat absorption
• Vapor compression

Heat absorption chillers use heat exchangers that pull heat away from any associated processes and dissipate it externally. Heat exchangers are typically composed of piping containing coolant fluids (air, water, or a mixture).

Vapor compression chillers achieve a cooling effect by circulating coolant through the processes needing cooling. This pulls heat from those processes into the coolant, which is then circulated to a refrigerant system that cools the chiller fluid and prepares it for another cycle.

Chillers consist of four essential components; an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion unit. Every chiller system contains a refrigerant.

The process starts with a low-pressure refrigerant entering the evaporator. Inside, the refrigerant is heated, causing a phase change into a gas. The gaseous refrigerant then goes into the compressor, which increases its pressure.

The high-pressure refrigerant goes to the condenser, cooling it with water or ambient air, converting it back into a high-pressure liquid. The condensed refrigerant goes to the expansion unit, which acts as a metering device to limit refrigerant flow.

This lowers the pressure of the refrigerant, beginning the cooling process again, known as the refrigeration cycle.

Basic Chiller Components

The primary chiller components include:

• Condenser
• Compressor
• Evaporator
• Expansion valves
• Power unit
• Control unit
• Water boxes

Condenser

The chiller condenser eliminates heat from the circulating refrigerant. This is achieved by circulating water or blowing air over condenser piping, depending on whether the unit is water-cooled or air-cooled.

Compressor

The compressor generates the pressure gradient necessary for refrigerant circulation and is critical to any chiller system's operation.

Evaporators

Evaporators remove heat from associated processes into circulating refrigerant, which then channels to a cooling tower or air-cooled system based on the chiller configuration.

Thermal Expansion Valves

These valves expand the refrigerant, decreasing its pressure and enhancing heat removal from the evaporator.

Power Unit

The power unit controls electrical energy flow, typically containing starters, monitoring panels, and circuit breakers.

Control Panels

Control panels regulate the cooling operation, integrating sensors, alarms, and displays for operators to adjust settings.

Water Boxes

Mounted on the evaporator or water-cooled condenser, these devices effectively conduct water flow.

Types of Industrial Chillers

The three main types of chillers are air-cooled, water-cooled, and absorption chillers. Selecting the right chiller for your application will help you save costs and improve efficiency.

Water-Cooled Chillers

These chillers utilize water from an external cooling tower to remove heat from the refrigerant in the condenser.

Air-Cooled Chillers

Air-cooled chillers use ambient air instead of cooling water to dissipate heat from the refrigerant.

Vapor Compressor Chillers

This type of chiller uses refrigerants to cool fluids or spaces, with a compressor acting as the driving force in the system.

Vapor Absorption Chillers

Absorption chillers operate without a compressor, using a heat source to drive the coolant through the system.

How does an absorption chiller work?

The process begins with liquid coolant in an evaporator that turns gaseous. The gas then gets absorbed by a concentrated absorbent. This solution flows through a heat exchanger to recycle the absorbent.

For more Industrial Chiller Supplier information, please contact us.

Glycol Chillers

Glycol chillers use propylene glycol and are used in food-grade applications, such as alcohol production.

How does a glycol chiller work?

The operating mode of glycol chillers is similar to that of standard chillers.

Centrifugal chillers

These include rotating impellers compressing the refrigerant around the system. They are ideal for medium to large-scale operations.

Uses of Industrial Chillers

Industrial chillers are applied in various industries for cooling operations. Common applications include:

• Food Processing: Used extensively in food production to control temperatures precisely.
• Metal Finishing: Essential for processes like electroplating where temperature control is vital.
• Injection Molding: Helps maintain precise temperature limits for high-quality output.
• Space Cooling: Common in manufacturing plants to prevent excessive heat in workspaces.

Determining the Right Size of Chiller for Your Needs

An adequately sized chiller is critical for efficiency. Tools are available to help assess optimal chiller capacity.

Getting The Most Out of Your Chiller

Proper operation and maintenance of chiller systems are crucial. Regular maintenance is essential to avoid costly repairs.

Trust Kehong for All Your Chiller Needs!

With years of experience, Kehong provides advanced chiller systems for varying processes.

Contact us online for more information about our products and services related to cooling needs.