Chillers are used to keep large industrial buildings and offices cool, working in conjunction with an HVAC system. There are two ways that you can keep chillers from overheating. These methods are known as water and air cooling. The following will go over the differences between the two systems and discuss the pros and cons of each method.
Chillers that use water to cool are usually intended to be both installed and operated indoors. These chillers are cooled with a condenser that circulates water and connected to an outdoor cooling tower. The cooling tower then expels heat into the atmosphere. The chiller is manufactured with copper tubes for refrigerant flow and aluminum fins for airflow.
Chillers that use air to cool are also made with copper tubes for refrigerant flow and aluminum fins for airflow. This type of chiller is made to be installed and operated outside. The machine is cooled directly by ambient air being circulated through the condenser coil to release heat into the atmosphere, rather than with a cooling tower.
Chillers with air cooling are typically less expensive initially than water chillers. These chillers are less expensive because the air system does not require cooling towers or condenser water pumps. Small systems are typically air cooled, since extra requirements associated with water treatments can be expensive.
Water cooled chillers are a better choice for some because they have better heat transfer properties when compared to air cooled chillers. Water cooling has an advantage because the film coefficient, which controls heat transfer, is up to 100 times better with the water than with air.
Do you have cooling tower gear drives associated with your chiller? Maintaining your cooling tower gear drives will save you money in operations and energy usage. For example, if the drive is operating incorrectly, it will have to work harder and longer to do its job. This issue increases stress on your system of chillers and exchangers, because the system must operate at higher condensing pressures to satisfy the load. The increased stresses reduce the life of your tower and increase maintenance requirements, causing you to spend more money for repairs and simultaneously lose money during operation downtime.
Cooling towers, while strong machines, require detailed inspections to ensure that they are operating at peak efficiency. The experts at Amarillo Gear Service in Amarillo, Texas can help you maintain, clean, and repair your cooling tower gear drives. Call Us today at (806) 622-1273 or Contact Us by email to learn more about our services. We will be glad to tell you more about the regions we service and the quality workmanship we can bring to the repair or renewal of your gear drives.
