Chiller
Liquid chiller – General characteristics
Liquid chillers – also named water cooling units, water coolers, water chillers or simply chillers – are automatically operated closed circuit systems producing cold with the help of a liquid medium such as water or a solution of water and freeze protection. This kind of cooling unit which is also sometimes called a compression chiller is – in its functioning principle - based on mechanically powered processes and the state change of the refrigerant. Chillers are mainly used in refrigeration and air-conditioning. For comfort cooling of buildings, halls or rooms, the chiller is connected to a fan coil which lets out the cooled air into the rooms. In industrial manufacturing, the (chemical) processes and the machinery are dependent on fixed temperatures which are achieved with the help of a chiller. There are strict requirements with regard to quality, cooling capacity, low energy consumption and reliability that these compact chillers are faced with, particularly when needed for continuous, uninterrupted process cooling. There is a multi-faceted range of systems with a wide capacity range available on the market. By means of professional planning, we find the most suitable technical solution for each individual application.
In contrast to traditional cooling units, chillers provide cold in the form of chilled water. Chillers use the non-hazardous and easily available water as a medium. Via a cooling circuit, the heat is dissipated from the process water. The chiller transports this heat to the ambient air by means of fans (air-cooled chillers). It is a major advantage of such an air-cooled system that the central cooling system can simply be installed outdoors. The water as a cooling medium is transported via standard steel or plastic pipes. For room air-conditioning, the chiller can be combined with air-conditioners of our partner McQuay, and no additional cooling circuits have to be installed. If freeze protection is added to the water-cooled system, care should be taken that the pressure is reduced. If cooling units of more than 87 kW are needed, several units can be combined to form a system with higher cooling capacity.
The air-cooled or water-cooled compact chillers are high performance refrigeration or air-conditioning systems that are easy to operate, energy-efficient and involving low operating costs. Chillers undergo the Eurovent certification system for cooling and air-conditioning units. In the certification programme LCP (Liquid Cooler Packages), the ESEER (European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the relevant value. (auf der deutschen Seite muss in der Klammer "Ratio" statt "Ration" stehen) With the help of this ratio, it is possible to assess the chiller efficiency taking into account the climate change. A high efficiency ratio means that the chiller components, the refrigerant used as well as the compressor capacity control are considered to be energy-efficient. This involves higher productivity and a positive development of production costs.
Some compact chiller models are equipped with an integrated inertial tank and a built-in water pump (not to be mistaken for a heat pump). This is not a technical necessity, however, it helps to control the changing temperatures and waterflows in such a way that the water pump does not run dry. Therefore, an inertial tank reduces energy consumption. Further options and accessories available for these chillers or water coolers are low noise versions, heat recovery, filters and even versions for very high ambient temperatures.
In industrial manufacturing processes, a chiller can for example guarantee a precise temperature of the water supply for the cooling of machines. In process cooling, the chiller is integrated into the production plant in accordance with the specific requirements. Nowadays, data centres, IT installations, manufacturing processes and production machines are cooled with this energy-efficient and environmentally friendly refrigeration technology. And last but not least, the wide capacity range of chillers offers interesting technical solutions also for comfort cooling (air-conditioning) of residential or commercial buildings.