CHILLER

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Presented To:

Prepared By : Hassan Aslam

Chiller

● A chiller is a machine that removes heat from a

liquid via a vapor-compression or absorption
refrigeration cycle. This liquid can then be
circulated through a heat exchanger to cool air
or equipment as required.

● Chiller is a compressor based equipment that

cools and controls the temperature of a liquid
unlike the air conditioners, which cools air.
Types of Chiller

● On the basis of their functioning

1. Air-cooled Chiller
2. Water cooled Chiller

● On the basis of driving force for

refrigeration
1. Mechanical Compressor Chiller
2. Absorption Chiller
Air-cooled Chiller

● Absorb heat from process water and is

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 are
less than water cooled units. However
they consume 10% more power.
Air-cooled Chiller

● A fan forces air across small tubes

containing the hot refrigerant and
discharges that heat into the ambient air.
Compared to water, air is a poor conductor
of heat and therefore air-cooled chillers
are larger and less efficient.
● Air-cooled chillers also operate at higher
compressor ratios – which means less
cooling per watt energy consumption.
Water Cooled Chiller
● 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.
Water Cooled Chiller
● Water condensed units are more efficient than
air condensed, often operating in the range of 15
EER or better (EER: energy efficiency ratio or BTU
per hour per Watt energy consumption).
● Water cooled chillers require a source of cooling
water, such as cooling tower water, to extract
heat from the refrigerant at the condenser and
reject it to the ambient environment.
● The typical condensing temperature in a water-
condensed chiller is 105°F.
Mechanical Compressor Chiller

● They are classified by the compressor

type:
• Reciprocating
• rotary screw
• Centrifugal
• frictionless centrifugal.
● At the heart of any chiller is the
compressor.
● Compressors are used to increase the
pressure of the refrigerant.
Reciprocating
● Similar to a car engine with multiple
pistons, a crankshaft is turned by an
electric motor, the pistons compress
the gas, heating it in the process. The
hot gas is discharged to the
condenser instead of being
exhausted out a tailpipe.
● The pistons have intake and exhaust
valves that can be opened on
demand to allow the piston to idle,
which reduces the chiller capacity as
the demand for chilled water is
reduced. This unloading allows a
single compressor to provide a range
of capacities to better match the
system load.
● Capacities range from 20 to 125 tons.
Rotary Screw

● The screw or helical compressor

has two mating helically grooved
rotors in a stationary housing. As
the helical rotors rotate, the gas is
compressed by direct volume
reduction between the two rotors.
Capacity is controlled by a sliding
inlet valve or variable-speed drive
(VSD) on the motor.
● Capacities range from 20 to 450
tons.
Centrifugal
● The centrifugal compressor
operates much like a centrifugal
water pump, with an impeller
compressing the refrigerant.
Centrifugal chillers provide high
cooling capacity with a compact
design. They can be equipped
with both inlet vanes and
variable-speed drives to regulate
control chilled water capacity
control.

● Capacities are 150 tons and up.

Frictionless Centrifugal
● This highly energy-efficient
design employs magnetic
bearing technology. The
compressor requires no
lubricant and has a variable-
speed DC motor with direct-
drive for the centrifugal
compressor.

● Capacities range from 60 to

300 tons.
Absorption Chiller
● The absorption cycle uses a heat-driven concentration
difference to move refrigerant vapors (usually water)
from the evaporator to the condenser.
● The high concentration side of the cycle absorbs
refrigerant vapors (which, of course, dilutes that
material). Heat is then used to drive off these refrigerant
vapors thereby increasing the concentration again.
● Lithium bromide is the most common absorbent used in
commercial cooling equipment, with water used as the
refrigerant.
● Smaller absorption chillers sometimes use water as the
absorbent and ammonia as the refrigerant.
Absorption Chiller

● The absorbent is the material that is used to

maintain the concentration difference in the
machine. Most commercial absorption chillers
use lithium bromide.
● Lithium bromide has a very high affinity for
water, is relatively inexpensive and non-toxic.
.
Absorption Chiller

● Absorption chillers are available in two

types:
●Single Effect (Stage) Units : using low
pressure (20 psig or less) as the driving
force

●Double Effect (2-Stage) Units :

available as gas-fired (either direct gas
firing, or hot exhaust gas from a gas-turbine
or engine) or steam-driven with high pressure
steam
Types of Refrigeration Cycles

● There are 2 types of Refrigeration cycles

:
1. Vapor Compression Cycle
2. Absorption Cycle
Vapor Compression Cycle

● During the compression cycle, the refrigerant

passes through four major components within
the chiller:
● The evaporator, the compressor, the condenser,
and a flow-metering device such as an
expansion valve.
● The evaporator is the low-temperature (cooling)
side of the system and the condenser is the high
temperature (heat-rejection) side of the system.
Key Components of Mechanical
Compression Chillers
● Evaporator:
Chillers produce chilled water in the evaporator where
cold refrigerant flows over the evaporator tube bundle. The
refrigerant evaporates (changes into vapor) as the heat
is transferred from the water to the refrigerant. The
chilled water is then pumped, via the chilled-water
distribution system to the building’s air handling units.
The chilled water passes through coils in the air-handler
to remove heat from the air used to condition spaces
throughout the building. The warm water (warmed by the
heat transferred from the building ventilation air) returns to
the evaporator and the cycle starts over.
Cont’d

● Compressor
Vaporized refrigerant leaves the evaporator
and travels to the compressor where it is
mechanically compressed, and changed into a
high-pressure, high-temperature vapor. Upon
leaving the compressor, the refrigerant enters
the condenser side of the chiller.
Cont’d

● Condenser
Inside the water-cooled condenser, hot
refrigerant flows around the tubes containing the
condenser-loop water. The heat transfers to the
water, causing the refrigerant to condense into
liquid form. The condenser water is pumped
from the condenser bundle to the cooling tower
where heat is transferred from the water to the
atmosphere. The liquid refrigerant then travels to
the expansion valve.
Cont’d

● Expansion valve:
The refrigerant flows into the evaporator
through the expansion valve or metering device. This
valve controls the rate of cooling. Once through the
valve, the refrigerant expands to a lower pressure
and a much lower temperature. It flows around the
evaporator tubes, absorbing the heat of the chilled
water that’s been returned from the air handlers,
completing the refrigeration cycle.
Vapor Compression Refrigeration

● Refrigeration Cycle

3
Condenser
High
4 Pressure
Side
Expansion
Device Compressor

1 2 Low
Pressure
Evaporator Side
 Explanation
Low pressure liquid
refrigerant in evaporator
absorbs heat and changes to
a gas

3
Condenser
High
4 Pressure
Side
Expansion
Device Compressor

1 2 Low
Pressure
Evaporator Side
 Explanation
The superheated vapour
enters the compressor where
its pressure is raised

3
Condenser
High
4 Pressure
Side
Expansion
Device Compressor

1 2 Low
Pressure
Evaporator Side
 Explanation
The high pressure
superheated gas is cooled in
several stages in the
condenser

3
Condenser
High
4 Pressure
Side
Expansion
Device Compressor

1 2 Low
Pressure
Evaporator Side
 Explanation
Liquid passes through expansion
device, which reduces its pressure
and controls the flow into the
evaporator

3
Condenser
High
4 Pressure
Side
Expansion
Device Compressor

1 2 Low
Pressure
Evaporator Side
Type of Refrigerant

● Refrigerant determined by the required cooling

temperature
● Chlorinated fluorocarbons (CFCs) or Freon's:
R-11, R-12, R-21, R-22 and R-502
● To select the appropriate refrigerant, their ODP
(Ozone Depletion Potential) and GWP ( Global
Warming Potential) need to be considered.
Selection

● Choice of compressor, design of condenser,

evaporator determined by
○ Refrigerant
○ Required cooling
○ Load
○ Ease of maintenance
○ Physical space requirements
○ Availability of utilities (water, power)
Absorption Cycle

● Main components in absorption cycle are:

• Solution Pump
• Condenser
• Evaporator
• Generator
• Absorber
Absorption Cycle
Components
● Solution Pump – A dilute lithium bromide solution is
collected in the bottom of the absorber shell. From here,
a hermetic solution pump moves the solution through a
shell and tube heat exchanger for preheating.

● Generator – After exiting the heat exchanger, the dilute

solution moves into the upper shell. The solution
surrounds a bundle of tubes which carries either steam
or hot water. The steam or hot water transfers heat into
the pool of dilute lithium bromide solution. The solution
boils, sending refrigerant vapor upward into the
condenser and leaving behind concentrated lithium
bromide. The concentrated lithium bromide solution
moves down to the heat exchanger, where it is cooled by
the weak solution being pumped up to the generator.
Components
● Condenser – The refrigerant vapor migrates through
mist eliminators to the condenser tube bundle. The
refrigerant vapor condenses on the tubes. The heat is
removed by the cooling water which moves through the
inside of the tubes. As the refrigerant condenses, it
collects in a trough at the bottom of the condenser.
● Evaporator – The refrigerant liquid moves from the
condenser in the upper shell down to the evaporator in
the lower shell and is sprayed over the evaporator tube
bundle. Due to the extreme vacuum of the lower shell
[6 mm Hg (0.8 kPa) absolute pressure], the refrigerant
liquid boils at approximately 39°F (3.9°C), creating the
refrigerant effect. (This vacuum is created by
hygroscopic action - the strong affinity lithium bromide
has for water - in the Absorber directly below.)
Components
● Absorber – As the refrigerant vapor migrates to the
absorber from the evaporator, the strong lithium bromide
solution from the generator is sprayed over the top of
the absorber tube bundle. The strong lithium bromide
solution actually pulls the refrigerant vapor into solution,
creating the extreme vacuum in the evaporator. The
absorption of the refrigerant vapor into the lithium
bromide solution also generates heat which is removed
by the cooling water. The now dilute lithium bromide
solution collects in the bottom of the lower shell, where
it flows down to the solution pump. The chilling cycle is
now completed and the process begins once again.
Absorption Cycle

Condenser Generator

Hot
Side

Evaporator

Cold Absorber
Side
 Explanation

Evaporator:
 Explanation

Absorber
 Explanation

High pressure generator

 Explanation
Condenser
Application of Chillers
● 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 chiller are used in the high powered
electronics inside the machines like MRI and PET, used
in the latest diagnostic tools.
● Chillers cool down the lasers and the source of power
supply used to power them
Any Question ?