What is a CHILLER ?

A Chiller is the main part of an HVAC refrigerating system, generally

perform the process of vapor compression or vapor absorption in which a
chemical substance (Refrigerant) alternatively changes from liquid to gas
(evaporating) and gas to liquid (condensing).

This process usually occurs in 4 steps,

• Evaporation
• Compression
• Condensation
• Expansion
Types of Chiller ?

• Vapor-Absorption Chiller
Uses a heat source such as stream or hot water to move the refrigerant
around the system.

• Vapor-Compression Chiller
Uses an electrically driven mechanical compressor to force a refrigerant
around the system.
 Vapor-Compression Chiller

There are further two types of Vapor Compression Chillers

• Air Cooled Chillers

Fans force air across the exposed tubes of the condenser which carries
the heat away is Air Cooled Chillers.

• Water Cooled Chillers

Have sealed condenser and water carries heat to a cooling tower, from
where heat is dissipated.

Both types of chillers work on same principle and have same

essential components. When we talk about Air or Water, it’s
about the process by which heat is eliminated from the facility.
Parts of a Chiller
Following are the 4 functional parts of a chiller.

Evaporator Compressor

Expansion
Condenser
Valve
 Evaporator
o It’s an insulated cylinder present between suction line and expansion valve.
Insulation is done to avoid any heat gain.

o Water collects all unwanted heat, and sends round chilled water through the
facility.

o Water runs through the copper tubes sitting in the cylinder. While refrigera-
-nt is present outside the tubes.

o Refrigerant takes heat from water and boils. Gaseous refrigerant than moves
to compressor through the suction line.
refrigerantt

watert
Flow of heatt
 Compressor
o It is mounted on top of chiller and takes boiled refrigerant through the
suction line coming from evaporator.

o It provides driving force for the refrigerant. Motor is used to run impeller
which runs refrigerant through the compression chamber at high velocity.

o This process increaser the thermal energy of the refrigerant. Refrigerant

temperature should be greater than that of the condensed water coming
from the cooling tower.

o Diffusers are used to increase pressure of the refrigerant before it gets

discharged in to the condenser.
 Condenser
o It is a cylinder present just after discharge line and before the expansion
valve.

o Water collects heat from the refrigerant and sends to the cooling tower.
Cooling tower send relatively cold water to collect more heat of refrigerant.

o It also have copper tubes similar to that of evaporator in which condensed

water flows and the refrigerant is present outside.

o Gaseous Refrigerant interacts with cool water pipes and condense. Liquid
refrigerant is collected at the bottom of the cylinder.
 Expansion Valve
o It is present between condenser and evaporator and control how much
refrigerant should flow from condenser to the evaporator.

o Evaporator has to keep certain amount of refrigerant inside it so depending

upon the response from the suction line leaving evaporator , expansion
valve operates.

o Usually controller are used to perform this operation.

Working & Flow Loops
The main requirement of a chiller is to take all the heat away
from the required facility and dump it in an open
environment hence providing cooling. This whole process
occurs in 3 loops.

• Refrigeration Loop
• Chilled Water Loop
• Condensed Water Loop
Refrigeration loop
The refrigerant passes through the components of the chiller. It takes heat from
evaporator and passes it to condenser. Later cooled refrigerant is again
passed to evaporator and the cycle continues.
Chilled Water loop
Evaporator takes heat from the facility in this loop. It sends chilled water to the
AHUs installed in the facility where cooling action is performed and takes
water (carrying heat from the facility) back to the evaporator to get
conditioned.
Condensed Water loop
Purpose of this loop to exhaust all the heat away from the facility. Hot water
from the condenser is sent to the cooling towers (outside facility), where heat
loss occurs. Later that water, having relatively low temperature is brought back
to the condenser.
Chiller Capacity
• Vane guides are generally used to control the capacity of a
a chiller as it controls the flow of refrigerant to the
compressor.

• It’s an essential part of centrifugal compressor and sits

right in way of flow of refrigerant.

• Vane guides open or close by a percentage depending

upon condenser’s requirement for refrigerant.
Control Parameters
Certain control logic is used to measure parameters of chillers and for the
protection of parts of machine.

Flow Sensors:
• They are used to check how Chilled Water Loop and Condensed
Water loop are behaving
• Chiller should not start is there is inadequate flow of water.
• 2 sensors are used. One each in evaporator and condenser.
Temperature Sensors:
• 4 Temperature sensors will be used to know the temperature of
fluids in both loops i.e. couple of sensors will be used for flow and
return from evaporator and condenser.
• A sensor will measure Suction line temperature of refrigerant.
• Discharge line temperature of refrigerant will also be measured
using a temperature sensor.
• Another temperature sensor will be used in condenser liquid line.
• A temperature sensor will measure the winding temperature of
compressor’s induction motor.
Pressure Sensors:
• Pressure is also important to be monitored for knowing
refrigerant’s behavior.
• 2 pressure sensors will be used. 1 each in evaporator and
condenser.

Actuators:
• As Vane guides are used to control capacity of Chillers. Actuators
must be used for monitor and control.

Control box:
• Generally a control box is mounted on top of a chiller containing
PLC, which is the brain of all control logic.
• Other parameters like running hours, running hours since last
service and no. of starts/hr all also recorded.