Chiller compressor

The compressor acts as the pump for the unit’s refrigerant around the system by using
differences in pressure to move the liquid through the system. The key things to discuss
with your engineer or check yourself are:

 The suction temperature and pressure

 The discharge temperature and pressure
 Oil level and pressure
 Current voltage and current levels – Only if safe to do so

Chiller evaporator

The next component to check is the evaporator, which has the function of taking the
heat absorbed from your process or building. Depending on the type of chiller, either air
cooled or water cooled, these checks will be slightly different. Again, the main points to
cover are:

 Fluid or Air Inlet temperature and pressure

 Fluid or Air Outlet temperature and pressure
 Refrigeration inlet and outlet temperature
 Insulation Condition

Chiller condenser

The final of the three components that should be on your list is the condenser, which
removes the heat transferred into the refrigerant by the compressor as described above.
Again, as with the evaporator, there are two types of condenser, air cooled and water
cooled, which will slightly alter your checks, which will include:

 Air intake and exhaust temperature

 Refrigeration inlet and outlet temperature
 Fan motor currents, noise and vibration
 Condenser coil condition

Chiller glycol dosing

There are a few things left to take into consideration; first, you need to be looking at
your equipment’s glycol dosage. Glycol, or anti-freeze is important as it will prevent the
fluid inside your system freezing as it handles temperatures below zero. If incorrectly
managed, the water in your system will freeze, causing damage to your pipework and
halting production whilst the issue is resolved. It’s important to note that you cannot use
generic glycol, the glycol in your system needs to be inhibited, which means that it is
manufactured specifically to not corrode your pipework. You can find more information
about our glycol range and correct dosage here.
Chiller water treatment

Whilst on the subject of water treatment, water quality should not be neglected when
looking at your chilled water system. Water quality is important as failure to manage it
will cause your pipework to corrode which will inevitably lead to equipment failure.
Whilst getting a water quality check is a legal requirement, many service providers will
not action poor results, merely inform you of them.

Leak Testing

The refrigerant leak test is the most important aspect of any refrigeration circuit check.
Firstly, you will need to check that you are happy for the equipment that your engineer
intends to use to be used on your system. A leak test ensures that your circuit is
hermetically sealed.

All refrigerants have global warming potential, therefore, if there is any disparity
between the refrigerant levels in the system and the levels expected, it is vital that the
source of the disparity be verified and fixed before the refrigerant is recharged.

THE RESULTS AND ACTION POINTS

Your action plan will depend on the outcome of your daily routine checks or the
refrigeration circuit checks. This could include a water treatment program, glycol dosage
adjustment or even performing a repair on your equipment.

For complete peace of mind and hassle-free production, ICS Cool Energy can provide
fully comprehensive planned preventative maintenance programs which include:

 Extended warranties
 Leak tests – performed by F-Gas compliant Service Engineers
 Chiller log book
 Glycol check (%)
 Discounts on labour & spares
 24/7 engineer availability
 Prioritised calls
 Direct access to our technical support desk