Working Mechanism of a Chiller System in Detail
by
Deep saxena
As the name indicates, a chiller cools down water or any other process fluid by means of refrigeration system which, afterwards, dissipates heat from the fluid into the air or any other source.
The chiller functions by making use of the change in the state of a refrigerant gas that when passed through an outlet at high pressure, absorbing heat through the medium of chiller evaporator. Afterwards, this cool refrigerant gas moves to the refrigeration compressor of chiller that compresses it into a hot, impenetrable gas that is pumped to its condenser. The amount of heat removed depends on the operating conditions, the quantity that the compressor can pump, and the refrigerant gas that is being used.
In the condenser of the chilling system, the compressor forces the refrigeration gas by smaller copper tubes that have thin aluminum fins automatically linked to them. Subsequently, the flowing air is forced via the condenser coil by the rotating fans. This results in hot, dense refrigeration gas condensing into a liquid, transforming state and discharging the heat that the gas accumulated at the evaporator of chiller. The remaining heat is then taken away into the flowing air through the fans. Ultimately, the fluid is pushed through the outlet and the whole process begins again.
The key device in the chiller system is the refrigeration compressor. It is a pump that works by using electrical energy to force refrigerant around the system. A different compressor pumping technology may be used on the basis of the application such as operating temperature or size. Rotary compressors, reciprocating compressors or scroll processors may be used for smaller systems, while centrifugal compressors, screw compressors, reciprocating compressors or absorption compressors are apt for the larger systems. Any type of refrigeration compressor can perform almost efficiently in the chiller regulated by the temperature needed of water or glycol outlet, chiller refrigerant and the ambient air temperature conditions.
Its Coefficient of Performance (COP) determines the energy efficiency of a chiller. It is basically the ratio of heat removed to requisite electrical input, both measured in kilowatts. The higher the ratio, that is COP, better will be chiller efficiency. higher the chiller COP is, the better the energy efficiency.
A lower condensing temperature of air cooled chillers will have a good COP as compared to higher condensing temperature, holding chiller evaporating temperature constant. Same way, even the lower evaporating temperature of
water cooled chillers
will result in high COP as against higher condensing temperature, holding chiller condensing temperature constant.
Author of this article is a general manager in an eminent chiller manufacturing company that is engaged in selling a wide range of
air cooled chillers
and water cooled chillers all over the world.
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com