EXPERIMENT NO.

3
Name of experiment - Study of Drinking Water Cooler
Drinking water is the most essential requirement for every human being.
If this water is available in a chilled form, it will be very nice to drink
during summer. Water coolers are used to reduce the temperature of
water irrespective of the ambient temperature. The water coolers also
provide water at a constant temperature. They can produce cold water at
about 7o C to 13.5 o C. This finds enormous application in our day to day
life. For example, coolers are used in theatres, malls, hospitals, schools,
offices, and so on. The thirst of the people those who are working in hot
environment may be quenched by the cold water provided by these
coolers. Thermoelectric cooling is a green alternative to HFC refrigerant
that uses a solid state device that acts as a heat pump to transfer heat
from one side of the device to another using the Peltier effect. It is made
up of numerous pairs of semiconductors enclosed by ceramic wafers.
Thermoelectric coolers use direct current power rather than refrigerant
gas and a compressor and have no moving parts or complex
assemblies. They are available in 7.5, 11.3 and 18.9 liters. Some
versions also have a second dispenser that delivers room-temperature
water or even heated water that can be used for tea, hot chocolate or
other uses. The water in the alternate hot tap is generally heated with a
heating element and stored in a hot tank (much like the traditional hot
water heaters used in residential homes). Additionally, the hot tap is
usually equipped with a push-in safety valve to prevent burns from an
accidental or inadvertent pressing of the lever. Typical specification of
water cooler are cool tank [3.4 litre], heater tank [1 litre Temp 75 o c] and
refrigerator [16 liters, Temp. 2 to 10] also in the circuit. Minimum static
head in metres of water column required to promote the flow at the rated
capacity through cooling unit and its controlling valve. This is essentially
applicable to pressure type after cooler. Static water head in the inlet
pipe, wherever provided, shall not exceed 12m in any type of water
cooler.
There are two types of unitary drinking water coolers; the storage type and
the instantaneous type.
Storage Type Water Cooler
Constructional details- A storage type of water cooler consists of the
following parts.
1) Compressor, 2) Condenser, 3) Fan with motor, 4) Water storage
tank, 5) Expansion device, 6) Evaporator, 7) Filter, 8) Thermostat
a) Compressor: - Hermetically sealed motor reciprocating
compressor are commonly used for water cooler. They are similar
 to those used in household refrigerators. The range is between 0.06
kW to 0.56 kW.
b) Condenser: - Fan cooled condensers are most commonly used.
Natural-convection condensers are used when the capacity of the
cooler is less than 19 L/h. On models used in high ambient
temperature, water-cooled condensers of tube-on-tube construction
are used.

a) Fan with motor: - The fan used is the fixed pitch blade propeller fan
with motor. The fan is used to circulate air over the condenser to
condense the refrigerant in the condenser.
b) Water storage tank: - the storage tank shall be of corrosion
resistant, non-toxic, non-absorbent and durable materials made up
of stainless steel or FDA grade material. The tank shall be
provided, where necessary, with overflow and make up correction
 with ball float and drain. This float valve will maintains constant
water level in the tank.
c) Expansion valve or refrigerant flow control: - Capillary tubes are
almost exclusively used in hermetically sealed systems. In some
hermetically sealed systems thermostatic, expansion valves are
also used.
d) Evaporators: - In water cooler the evaporator formed by
refrigerant tubing bonded to the outside of a water circuit is used.
The water circuit is usually a tank. It is also a coil of large tubing.
The material used are usually non-ferrous metal or stainless steel.
Sanitary requirements must be kept in mind since the coolers are
cooling water for human consumption. A PUF insulation of 35 mm
is usually applied over evaporator.
e) Filter: - A cleanable or throwaway type strainer (filter) to remove
suspended matters from water may also be fitted externally to the
water cooler at the inlet to the cooling unit when desired by the
purchaser. The filter elements shall not be of asbestos based
materials. The filter shall have suitable mesh size (500u and more)
and shall be free from mercury, lead, aluminium, cadmium, arsenic
and other poisonous materials for human consumption.
f) Thermostat: - The thermostat is usually located where it is most
affected by the compartment temperature that is water storage tank.
This will control the operation of the compressor depending upon
the temperature of water in the tank. This temperature of the water
depends upon the usage of the water cooler.
g) Overload protector: - OLP protects compressor motor winding
from damage from one or combined effect of low voltage, high
voltage, high suction and discharge pressure, high load, incorrect
charging. Insulation of motor winding burns above 250o C and
hence overload protector is selected such that it opens the circuit
before the winding temperature can go to a high value. An oversize
OLP would not protect motor winding from damage and an under
size OLP trips unnecessarily.
The thermal insulation for the cooling unit, connections therefrom to the
outlets, and for suction pipe of the condensing unit shall be of vapour-
proof materials or covered with external vapour-proof barrier. The
insulation shall have no interior air gap and shall be of sufficient
thickness to prevent condensation on the exterior cold surfaces. The
inspection lid for storage type water cooler shall be of rigid construction
and hinged. It shall be provided with a gasket to keep the storage tank
dustproof. The drain tray shall be made of sufficiently strong corrosion-
resistant material which shall not warp or get deteriorated in constant
use with cooled water under varying weather conditions. This shall be of
ample size to prevent any splash outside its periphery.

Working Principle: - As we switch on the water cooler, then:

1) The compressor (1) starts working. The compressor compresses
the refrigerant gas and pushes it through the discharge line into the
condenser.
2) In the condenser (2) the refrigerant gas is cooled with air circulated
by a fan. This process of cooling is known as forced air cooling of
the refrigerant gas in the condenser.
3) From the condenser (2), the liquid refrigerant enters the filter-
strainer (3). This will filter and dehydrate the refrigerant flowing
through it.
4) The refrigerant enters the expansion device (4)
5) From the expansion device (capillary tube) the liquid refrigerant at
low temperature and pressure enters the evaporator.
6) The evaporator coil is brazed around the water tank. The water tank
is made from stainless steel.
7) From the outlet of the evaporator, the refrigerant gas enters the
accumulator (not shown in figure). This accumulator is a protective
device. It prevents any liquid refrigerant entering the compressor
suction during off cycle from evaporator.
8) The overload protector (17) operates when the motor is overloaded.
The bimetallic overload gets heated and disconnects the power
supply.
9) The water to be cooled is stored in a tank (6). This tank is properly
insulated. This insulation will prevent heat penetration from outside.
This type of cooler finds a variety of applications such as in colleges,
schools, hotels, etc.

INSTANTANEOUS TYPE WATER COOLERS:

The evaporator of the instantaneous type (fig.02) consists of two
separate cylindrically wound coils made of copper or stainless steel tube.
The two coils are entwined and bonded together by soldering. The
evaporating refrigerant is in one of the coils and the water to be cooled in
the other. The water is cooled by the refrigerant evaporator by conduction
and convection.
The instantaneous type coolers may be further classified as:
1. Bottle type,
2. Pressure type, and
3. Self-contained remote type.
The storage-type cooler has the evaporator coil soldered on to the walls
of the storage tank of the cooler; generally on to the outside surface of the
walls. Push type water faucets (taps) are generally provided for drawing
cold water in both the types, to minimize the wastage of refrigerated water.
Thermostat controls the operation of the compressor to maintain the water
temperature at the desired level. The feeler bulb of the thermostat is
clamped on to the water coil just at the outer end in instantaneous cooler.
In the storage type, the bulb is kept immersed in water in the tank or
clamped to the wall of the storage tank on the outside at a lower level,
much below the lower most evaporator refrigerant tube soldered on to the
tank.

Fig.2. Schematic Sketch of the cooling coil of instantaneous type water cooler

As is evident, the storage capacity of the water coil in the

instantaneous cooler is negligible. When there is no draw of water from
the cooler, it is obvious that the temperature of water in the water coil will
drop down very fast. The thermostat puts off the compressor at the set
point temperature (generally about 12° to 15°c). On opening the faucet,
fresh water enters the coil. Now because of the insignificant storage
capacity, the water temperature in the coil rises up fast, cutting in the
thermostat to start the compressor. Once the faucet is closed, water
temperature drops down rapidly and the compressor stops. Thus in an
instantaneous cooler, the compressor cycles frequently on the thermostat
when there is frequent draw of water. When there is no draw of water f or
a long time, the machine may cycle in between, as the temperature of the
water in the coil can rise due to the heat transmission from outside.
In the storage water cooler, the machine will have to run for a long
time to bring down the temperature of the mass of water in the storage
tank. Once the temperature touches the set point of the thermostat, the
machine cycles off. Again, because of the large volume of water in the
tank, the temperature will rise up slowly even when water is drawn from
the cooler and an equal amount of fresh water is allowed into the tank by
the float valve. Thus there will not be frequent cycling of the machine in
the case of the storage type cooler.
In the case of the instantaneous cooler, it is very important that the
rate of flow of water to the cooler (or the rate of draw) is adjusted to match
its capacity. With a higher rate of flow, the cooler will not be able to pull
down the water temperature to the desired level. Further, with a very high
flow rate, the refrigeration system will work at a very high evaporator
temperature (i.e. high suction pressure)
This may adversely affect the suction gas cooling of the hermetic
compressor motor and in the long run, it can affect the life of the motor
winding-another reason why the water flow-rate should be adjusted to
match the capacity of the cooler. For example, the water flow-rate in an
instantaneous cooler of 45 litre per hour capacity should not exceed 45 l/h
or 75 cc/min., in other words, a 150 ml cup should get filled up only once
in 12 seconds. Generally instantaneous type water coolers are equipped
with regulators for adjusting the flow-rate. The flow-rate should be
checked and adjusted, before starting the cooler and also whenever it is
found that the water temperature is not coming down.
Higher flow-rate can occur in high rise buildings if the water cooler
is installed in a lower-floor and water supply to the cooler is from the
overhead tank of the building. It may also be necessary to provide a
pressure reducing valve on the water supply line to the instantaneous type
cooler if the main water supply is at high pressure. This is to protect the
water coil of the cooler against high pressure. The water flow-rate should
not be too lower either. With a low flow-rate, the capacity of the cooler will
be reduced and the evaporator temperature can fall and may become
lower than the freezing point of water. Under such a condition the water
in the coil can freeze into ice. Since the density of ice is less than that of
water for the same mass of water, there will be an increase in volume on
freezing. When water freezes inside a confined space, as in a pipe, due
to the volumetric expansion on freezing, heavy hydraulic pressure is
developed which can burst the pipe. In an instantaneous cooler, the water
coil can burst if freezing occurs, resulting in heavy water leakage, flooding
the floor and damaging the electrical components of the cooler.
To facilitate drinking of water direct from the cooler, without the need of
a cup, glasses or container bubbler type spouts are provided in the
instantaneous type coolers and they are known as drinking fountains.
Obviously, when in use, quite a bit of cold water is wasted down the drain.
Such coolers are often equipped with a tube-in-tube or tube-to-tube heat
exchanger. The heat exchanger cools the incoming supply of water (to
the cooler) by using the waste water, thereby achieving some economy
on refrigeration. In storage-type coolers, meant for dispensing water in
the cups or containers, such heat exchangers are not provided as the
wastage of cold water is usually negligible.

Figure. A drinking fountain cooled by a VCR system.

Refrigeration Unit
Single phase hermetic compressor is used. The capacity of the
compressors generally range from 0.125 to 1 hp. Capillary tube is the
throttling device. Since R-12, R-22 is phased out, R-134a and R404a are
used as the refrigerant presently.
Water coolers are rated on the basis of their capacity to cool a continuous
flow-rate of water from a specified temperature of the incoming water, say
from 30° to 13.5°c under an ambient temperature of 35°c. The capacity
of the water coolers commonly available range from 3.4 to 225 litres of
flow-rate per hour.
It is interesting to note that the suction pressure in an instantaneous
cooler will vary appreciably when the faucet is pressed open or closed.
This is because the heat-transfer efficiency of the evaporator increases
substantially with an increase in the velocity of water passing through the
coil. When the faucet is pushed open, water flows through the coil,
establishing certain velocity. But the water velocity in the pipe drops down
to zero the moment the faucet is released i.e. closed, and so the heat-
transfer efficiency of the evaporator drops. This results in the reduction of
refrigerant temperature in the evaporator and of the suction pressure.
SPECIFICATIONS OF WATER COOLER –

Weight kg 47 65 65 71 95
Dimension 400 x 665 x 485 665 x 710 x 812 x
mm 400 x x 1210 485 x 1210 530 x 612 x
WXDXH 1060 1225 1210
Demand 100 200 300 500 750
Glasses / hr

RESULT – In this way the water cooler is studied.

Questions for viva -
1. How capacity of water coolers is specified?
2. What type of water coolers will you select for i) your institute having
1000 students ii) Canteen. Why?
3. Which refrigerant is normally used in water coolers?
4. Name the type of compressor, condenser and throttling device used in
water cooler?
5. What type of evaporator is used in i) storage type cooler ii)
instantaneous type cooler? Give reasons.
6. Name the insulator used in water cooler?
7. What is the function of Accumulator, Drier cum filter?
8. Electrical failures in water cooler are more and frequent .why? Suggest
remedies.