Chillers

A chiller is a machine that removes heat from a liquid via a vapor-compression or absorption
refrigeration cycle.

A vapor-compression water chiller comprises the 4 major components of

the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle (compressor, evaporator,
condenser, and some form of metering device). These machines can
implement a variety of refrigerants.

Absorption chillers use municipal water as the refrigerant and benign silica
gel as the desiccant. Absorption chillers utilize water as the refrigerant and
rely on the strong affinity between the water and a lithium bromide solution
to achieve a refrigeration effect. Absorption chillers use heat to drive the
refrigeration cycle, they produce chilled water while consuming just a small amount of electricity to run
the pumps on the unit. Absorption chillers generally use steam or hot water to drive the lithium bromide
refrigeration cycle but can also use other heat sources.

Chiller is one of the most important cooling equipment used in laboratories and Industries. The
main function of a laboratory chiller is to remove heat from one substance and pass it to other
sources like ambient water or air. Industrial chillers can be air-cooled or water-cooled. Air
cooled chiller system is generally used in applications where the additional heat it discharges is
not a factor. And water cooled chillers are generally used for large capacity applications, where
the heat generated by an air cooled water chiller creates a problem.

Chiller is compressor based equipment that cools and controls the temperature of a liquid unlike
the air conditioners, which cools air. There are typically four types of compressors used on
chillers. These are reciprocating, centrifugal, and screw and scroll. They prod uce their cooling
effect through a process known as vapo r-compression. Besides compressor the other components
of a chiller are a temperature controller, a reservoir and a recirculation pump.

Or

“It cools the process stream by refrigerant at the temperature lower than the prevailing water. It
uses refrigerant such as ammonia or Freon.”

Types of Chillers:

1-Reciprocating Chillers 2-Centrifuga l Chillers

3-Rotary Chillers 4-Refrigerant Loss Rates Reduced
5-Absorption Chillers 6-Microprocessor-Based Control Systems
7- Selection Criteria 8-Blast chillers
9-Prime chillers 10--Packaged chillers
The classification of chillers can be do ne on various basis like portability, working, etc. Here we
have classified chillers on the basis of their functioning.

• Air-cooled chillers absorb heat from process water and are transferred to the ambient air.
They are mostly used in applications where the heat discharged is not a factor. They don't
need a cooling tower and condense water pump. The maintenance of air cooled chillers is
less than water cooled units. However they consume 10% more power.
• In water cooled chillers, heat is absorbed from process water and is transferred to a
separate water source like a river, pond, cooling tower, etc. Mainly used at the places
where the heat generated by air cooled chillers pose a problem. Due to their less
consumption of power they are usually preferred by those seeking optimum efficiency of
power consumption.

Operation of Chillers:

The working principle of a chiller is quite simple. The reservoir is filled with a fluid, typically
water or an ethylene glycol/water mix, to be recirculated. The reservoir is connected to the
equipment needed and power is provided to the chiller. Chiller's functions are regulated by the
controller. Individual users can set the parameters according to their requirements like
temperature, flow and pressure. An internal strainer is used to keep the harmful particles away
from the system.

Vapor-Compression Chiller Technology:

There are basically four different types of compressors used in vapor compression chillers:
Reciprocating compression, scroll compression, screw-dr iven compression, a nd centrifuga l
compression are all mechanical machines that can be powered by electric motors, steam, or gas
turbines. They produce their cooling effect via the "reverse-Rankin" cycle, a lso k nown as 'vapo r-
compression'. With evaporative cooling heat rejection, their coefficients-of-performance (COPs)
are very high and typically 4.0 or more.

Chillers Efficiency:

Coefficient of performance (COP) is the measure of a chiller’s efficiency. Chillers with a higher
COP cost less to operate. Full- load COPs typically range from 2 to 5. Air-cooled equipment is in
the lower range, while water-cooled equipment is in the upper range. Chiller efficiency is also
measured in KW/ton. For a chiller to ope rate at peak efficiency, it must be properly integrated
with other equipment and processes in the facility.

Applications of Chillers:

Cooling equipments are used in a number of industries. Some of the most common applications
of chillers are:

• Chillers are used to cool the hot plastic in the plastic industry. It cools the plastic that is
injected, blown extruded or stamped. They are also used to cool down the equipment
used in the manufacturing process.
• In the printing industry, chillers are used to remove the heat generated by the printing
rollers. They also help cooling the paper when it comes out of the ink drying ovens.
• Sophisticated chillers are used in the high powered electronics inside the machines like
MRI and P ET, used in the latest diagnostic tools.
• Chillers cool down the lasers and the source of power supply used to power them.

Refrigerants:

A vapor-compression chiller uses a refrigerant internally as its working fluid. Many refrigerants
options are available; when selecting a chiller, the application cooling temperature requirements
and refrigerant's cooling characteristics need to be matched. Important parameters to consider are
the operating temperatures and pressures.

There are several environmental factors that concern refrigerants, and also affect the future
availability for chiller applications. This is a key consideration in intermittent applications where
a large chiller may last for 25 years or more. Ozone depletion potential (ODP) and global
warming potential (GWP) of the refrigerant need to be considered.

Most commonly used refrigerants are: Tetrachloromethane, Freon, Ammonia, Brine Solution,
Trifluo romethane, 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloro-1,2-difluoroethane, 2,2-Dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane,
Dichlorodifluoromethane, Bis(difluoromethyl)ether, 1,1-Dichloro-2,2-difluoroethylene,
Tetrafluoroethylene….. etc
ABSORPTION CHILLER:
Absorption chillers use heat as the energy source to drive the process.

There are two basic types of absorption chillers: direct- and indirect-fired units. Direct-
fired absorption chillers typically burn natural gas to generate heat to drive the cycle.
Indirect-fired units use low pressure steam, hot water or waste process heat. The most
common refrigerants used include water and ammonia.

Absorption chillers range in capacity from 100 to 5,000 tons, with most of the currently
installed machines operating in the range of 300 to 500 tons. Thermal efficiencies
typically are between 11,000 to 19,000 Btu of heat input per ton- hour of cooling
produced.

Absorption chillers offer the advantage of using a n energy source other than electricity to
power the air conditioning system. The electrical energy used in an absorption chiller is
typically less than 10 percent of the electricity required by other chillers. This low
demand for electricity makes the units well suited for applications where there is
insufficient electrical capacity for motor driven chillers, or where the local utility's
electrical demand charges that would be incurred would be excessive.

Indirect-fired absorption chillers also offer the flexibility of being powered by a range of
heat sources, including low pressure process steam, hot water, solar energy and waste
heat. If a facility has a source of waste heat that must be disposed of, absorption chillers
can provide low-cost chilled water while reducing the waste heat discharge temperature.

Start/stop sequence of absorption chillers:

Detail of typical absorption chiller:

FLOWCHART OF CHILLER AND FUNCTION OF EACH SECTION

a) EVAPORATOR
The refrigerant is dispersed on the heat transfer tubes of evaporator. Chilled water through the
heat transfer tubes of evaporator is cooled by the latent heat of vapor ized refrigerant.
b) ABSORBER
The concentrated solution is dispersed o n the heat transfer tubes of absorbe r. The refrigerant
vapor
From evaporator is absorbed on the heat transfer tubes of absorber by the concentrated solution.
Cooling water through the heat transfer tubes of absorber is heated by absorption heat.
c) HEAT EXCHANGER
The diluted solution, after leaving the absorber section, passes through the heat exchanger, where
it is heated by the concentrated solution.
The concentrated solutions are cooled by the diluted solution. This cooling process of the
Concentrated solution allows for greater absorbing power due to its lower temperature.
d) LOW TEMPERATURE GENERATOR
The passes through the heat transfer tubes of generator.
The diluted solution in the generator is heated by the steam.
It releases the refrigerant vapor and is concentrated. It becomes concentrated solution.
e) CONDENSER
The refrigerant vapor from the generator is condensed on the heat transfer tubes of condenser.
Cooling water from the absorber is heated by condensation heat.
f) PURGE UNIT
Gather the non-condensable gas within the Chiller and store it in the purge tank.