Chiller Plant Control and Operation: Ir. Dr. Sam C. M. Hui
Chiller Plant Control and Operation: Ir. Dr. Sam C. M. Hui
http://ibse.hk/SPD5132/
Dec 2016
Contents
• Types of chillers
• Refrigeration systems
• Chiller performance
• Chiller plant control
Types of chillers
• What is a Chiller?
• Refrigeration machine that produces chilled water,
to cool inside air for air conditioning system
• 2 types of chillers based on refrigeration cycle:
• Vapour compression chiller
• Absorption refrigeration chiller
• 2 types of chillers based on heat rejection:
• Air-cooled chiller
• Water cooled chiller
蒸汽壓縮製冷
Refrigeration cycle -- vapour compression cycle
Refrigeration cycle -- vapour compression cycle
3
Condenser
High
4 Pressure
Side
Expansion
Device Compressor
2 Low
1
Pressure
Side
Evaporator
(Source: Hundy, G. F., Trott, A. R. and Welch, T. C., 2008. Refrigeration and Air-conditioning, 4th ed.)
Principle of vapour compression cycle (on a P-h diagram)
The temperature rise or ‘ lift ’ of the refrigeration cycle is increased by
temperature differences in the evaporator and condenser
(Source: Hundy, G. F., Trott, A. R. and Welch, T. C., 2008. Refrigeration and Air-conditioning, 4th ed.)
Types of chillers
(Source: Hundy, G. F., Trott, A. R. and Welch, T. C., 2008. Refrigeration and Air-conditioning, 4th ed.)
Vapour absorption refrigeration
Condenser Generator
Hot
Side
Evaporator
Cold Absorber
Side
Comparison of vapour compression and absorption chillers
Use a Compressor to move refrigerant Use heat to drive the refrigeration cycle.
around the system. Energy source for the Energy sorce are steam, hot water or
compressor is an electric motor burning of oil or natural gas
旋轉螺桿式
往復式
Reciprocating Rotary screw
離 心式
滾動式
Scroll Centrifugal
Applications of different types of compressors in chillers
Used in small chiller
Available in capacity up to 100 tons (350kw)
Multiple Compressor used in a single chiller for
Reciprocating Compressor capacities up to 200 tons(700kW)
Used in small water chiller less than 200 tons
(700kw)
10 to 15% more efficienct than reciprocating
because of 60% fewer moving parts
• Heat pumps
• Three types:
• Air-source (air-to-air)
• R-22 often used, range 1.5 to 40 TR
• Water-source
• Ground-coupled
• Extract energy from ground, water, or ambient air
• Cooling and heating mode operartion
• Winter may require defrosting
• High COP & EER (energy efficiency ratio)
Refrigeration systems
• Centrifugal chillers
• Chiller = a refrigeration machine using a liquid
cooler as an evaporator to produce chilled water
• R-11, R-12, R-22 were used
• R-11 replaced by R-123
• R-12 replaced by R-134a
• System components
• Centrifugal compressor, evaporator, condenser, flash
cooler, orifice plates & float valves, purge unit (optional)
Two-stage water-cooled centrifugal chiller
Refrigeration systems
• Screw chillers
• Helical rotary chiller: use screw compressor
• Twin-screw compressors are widely used
• Capacity 100 to 1000 TR
• Variable volume ratio
• Economizer
• Similar to a two-stage compound system w/ flash cooler
• Oil separation, oil cooling and oil injection
• Oil slugging is not a problem
Twin-screw compressor
Chiller performance
• kW/ton rating
• Commonly referred to as efficiency, but actually
power input to compressor motor divided by tons
of cooling produced, or kilowatts per ton (kW/ton)
• Lower kW/ton indicates higher efficiency
• kW/TR as a reference energy performance indicator
• Coefficient of performance (COP)
• Chiller efficiency measured in cooling output
divided by electric power input
Chiller performance
(Source: Trane)
Variable flow – decoupled (primary-secondary flow)
• Design objectives:
• Reliable chilled water flow
• Operating cost (energy efficiency)
• Operator safety
• Environmental awareness
• Reduced maintenance cost
• Aim: deliver chilled water to all loads under
various load conditions as efficiently as
possible
Chiller performance
• Load determination
• When to add or subtract a chiller?
• What is the optimal sequencing for chillers?
• Should I run one chiller at 100% or two chillers at 50%?
• The givens…
• Whether you run one chiller or two…
• The building load does not change
• The outside wet bulb temperature does not change
• When you run two chillers…
• You may double the number of pumps
• You may double the number of tower cells
Unloading at constant condenser water temperature
(constant speed centrifugal chiller)
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent Load
Lowest kW/ton
(Source: Trane)
Chiller plant control
• Capacity matching
• Turn the right chiller on
• Dependent on chiller plant design
k
Capacity matching for multiple chillers
(Source: Trane)
Chiller plant control
(Source: Trane)
Chiller plant control
• Failure recovery
• Keep chilled water flowing
• No manual intervention required
• Follow the standard sequence
• Multiple failure inputs
• Chiller level
• System level
• Fast restarts
Chiller plant control
• User interface
• Informative display
• Easy to operate
• Benefits of intuitive user interface
• Minimize training time
• Minimize undesirable manual control
• Maximize operator efficiency
• Reduced operational and training costs
Example of chiller plant control interface
(Source: Trane)
Example of chiller plant control interface
(Source: Trane)
Chiller plant control
• System optimization
• Colder chilled water reduces energy consumption
• Chilled water pumps
• Warm condenser water reduces energy
consumption
• Condenser water pumps
• Cooling tower control reduces energy consumption
• Cooling tower fans
• Chiller
Chiller – cooling tower optimization
(tower setpoint optimization)
• Load • Load
• Condenser water • Condenser water
temperature temperature
• Wet bulb • Chiller design
• Tower design
(Source: Trane)
Chiller – cooling tower interaction (optimized control strategies)
22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 °C
(Source: Trane)
Further Reading
• Videos:
• Chiller Basics - How they work (16:36) http://youtu.be/0rzQhSXVq60
• How Chillers work Part 2 (41:44) http://youtu.be/3ZpE3vCjNqM
• How a Chiller, Cooling Tower and Air Handling Unit work together
(16:45) http://youtu.be/1cvFlBLo4u0
• Chiller Plant Operations (11:30) http://youtu.be/PklOP7V7p04
• Chiller Installation at York University Central Utility Building ?Keele
Campus (4:13) http://youtu.be/DTCxlz9dPTA
• Improve chiller plant efficiency!
• http://www.automatedbuildings.com/news/jan01/articles/hartman/hrtm
n.htm
• Steps to a more efficient chiller plant
• http://www.automatedbuildings.com/news/jan01/articles/hartman/hrtm
n2.htm
References