CHILLER SYSTEM

CONTENTS
• CHILLER BASICS

• WORKING PRINCIPLE OF CHILLER

• REFRIGERATION CYCLE
• CHILLER COMPONENTS

• COMPONENTS FUNCTIONS & COMPARISON

• LOAD TERMINAL CONTROL OPTIONS

• CHILLER SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

• TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY
• CHILLLER PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
 CHILLER BASICS
What is a Chiller?
The refrigeration machine that produces chilled water is referred to as a
“Chiller”. A chiller is a water-cooled air conditioning system that cools
inside air, creating a more comfortable and productive environment.

Basically, there are two types of chillers based upon the refrigeration
cycle:
1. Vapour Compression Chiller
2. Absorption Refrigeration Chiller

Based upon the condensation process of working fluid , there are two
types of chiller:
3. Air-Cooled Chiller
4. Water Cooled Chiller
 WORKING OF CHILLER SYSTEM
1. Chillers circulate chilled water to air-handlers(AHU’s) in order to
transfer heat from air to water.
2. This water then returns to the evaporator side of the chiller where the
heat is passed from the water to a liquid (LP) refrigerant .
3. The refrigerant leaves the evaporator as a cold vapor (LP) and enters
the compressor where it is compressed into a hot vapor (HP).
4. Upon leaving the compressor, the vapor enters the condenser side of the
chiller where heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the air/water side of
the condenser where it is circulated to an ACC/open cooling tower for the
final removal of heat from the refrigerant as a liquid (HP).

(Water Cycle) (Air/Water Cycle)

AHU Evaporator Compressor Condenser C.Tower

AIR-COOLED CHILLER
WATER-COOLED CHILLER
HEAT TRANSFER LOOP
 HEAT TRANSFER LOOP
Heat Transfer Loops In Refrigeration System
Thermal energy moves from left to right as it is extracted from the space and
expelled into the outdoors through five loops of heat transfer:
– Air loop.
Air is driven by the supply air fan through a cooling coil, where it transfers its heat to
chilled water. The cool air then cools the building space.
– Chilled water loop.
Driven by the chilled water pump, water returns from the cooling coil
to the chiller’s evaporator to be re-cooled.
– Refrigerant loop.
Using a phase-change refrigerant, the chiller’s compressor pumps heat
from the chilled water to the condenser water.
– Condenser water loop.
Water absorbs heat from the chiller’s condenser, and the condenser
water pump sends it to the cooling tower.
– Cooling tower loop.
The cooling tower’s fan drives air across an open flow of the hot
condenser water, transferring the heat to the outdoors.
VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE
VAPOUR COMPRESSION CYCLE
Vapour Compression Cycle
ABSORPTION REFRIGERATION CYCLE
 Vapour Compression Chiller Absorption Water Chiller

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

Vary by type of compressor such as

reciprocating, scroll, screw, centrifugal. Use of absorption refrigeration cycle.

Higher initial cost due to additional cost of

Lower initial cost heat transfer tubes & absorbent.
In emergency situation, continous
electricity required for electricity-driven Minimal electricaity needed for generator
chillers. during emergemcy situations

Waste heat recovery - Wasted energy can

Not applicble be used to fuel an absorption chiller
Not applicble Application in Cogeneration system
CHILLER SYSTEM COMPONENTS
CHILLED WATER SYTEM COMPONENETS
• Chiller (Evaporator)
• Compressors

• Chilled Water Pumps

• ACC in Air Cooled Chiller
• Cooling Tower in Water-cooled Chiller

• Condensate water pumps in water-cooled chiller

• Load Terminals (chilled water cooling coils)
• Chilled and condenser-water distribution systems include piping,
expansion valve, control valve, check valves, strainers etc.
 COMPRESSORS
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

Available in hermetic configurations in capacity

up to 15 tons (53kW) for use in water chiller
Multiple are used in single chiller to meet larger
Scroll Compressor capacities
Used in medium sized water chiller 50 to 500
tons (175 to 1750kw)
More reliable & better efficiency due to fewer
Helical Rotary (Or Screw) moving parts
Used in large water chiller

Available in prefabricated chiller from 100 to

3000 tons (350 to 10500kW) & up to 8500 tons
(30000kW) as built-up machines
High efficiency, superior reliability, reduced
sound levels, relatively low cost as compared to
Centrifugal Compressor others
CONDENSER
 Air Cooled Condensor Water Cooled Condensor

Available from 7.5 to 500tons (25 to 1580kW) Available from 10 to 3000tons (35 to 10500kW)

Packaged System - Reduced design time , simplified

installation, higher reliability & single source Additional requirement of condenser-water piping,
responsibility. pump, CT & associated controls.

Cooling tower require special control sequences,

Better low-ambient operation (i.e. below frezing basin heaters or even an indoor sump for safe
weather conditions) operatin in freezing weather

Elimination of cooling tower Cooling tower in the system

Mainteance requirements associated with water

treatment, chiller condensor-tube cleaning, tower
Lower Maintenace - Eliminates concers & mechanical maintenance , freeze protection &
maintenance requirements related to cooling tower availability of make up water with its quality

Additional Costs of cooling tower & condensor

Reduce Operating Costs of cooling tower pump
 Air Cooled Condensor Water Cooled Condensor

Refrigerant Condensing temperature is lower

Refrigerant Condensing temperature is due to dependent on condensor-water
higher due to dependent on DBT temperature, which is dependent on WBT.

Higher condensing temperature &

therefore higher condensing pressure
means compressor to do more work & Greater Energy Efiiciency due to lower
consume more enrgy. condensing temperature & pressure

More preferable at Part load conditions

because DBT tends to drop faster than
WBT in a day (from day to night). Less preferable to work at part load conditions

Efficency advatage lessen at part load Efficiency advantage much less due to
condition additional cost of CT & pump.

Longer equipment life 20 to 30 yrs. (Indoor

Life approx. 15 to 20 yrs. (Outdoor Installation & water as condensing fluid
installation) operate at lower pressures)
AIR COOLED v/s WATER COOLED
CONDENSER
AIR COOLED V/S WATER COOLED CONDENSER
AIR COOLED V/S WATER COOLED CONDENSER
LOAD TERMINAL CONTROL OPTIONS
LOAD TERMINAL CONTROL OPTIONS
LOAD TERMINAL CONTROL OPTIONS
LOAD TERMINAL CONTROL OPTIONS
LOAD TERMINAL CONTROL OPTIONS
SINGLE CHILLER SYSTEM
PARALLEL CHILLER SYSTEM
 TERMINOLOGY
1.Tons of refrigeration (TR):
One ton of refrigeration is the amount of cooling obtained by one
ton of ice melting in one day i.e . 3024 kcal/h or 3.516 thermal kW.

2. Net Refrigerating Capacity:

A quantity defined as the mass flow rate of the evaporator water
multiplied by the difference in enthalpy of water entering and leaving
the cooler, expressed in kcal/h, tons of Refrigeration.

3. 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.
 TERMINOLOGY

4. Coefficient of Performance (COP):

Chiller efficiency measured in cooling output (kcal/hr) divided by
electric power input.

5. Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER):

Performance of smaller chillers and rooftop units is frequently
measured in EER rather than kW/ton. EER is calculated by dividing a
chiller's cooling capacity (in kcal/h) by its power input (in watts) at full-
load conditions. The higher the EER, the more efficient the unit.
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF CHILLER SYSTEM

● The refrigeration TR is assessed as

TR = Q x Cp x (Ti – To) / 3024
Where Q is mass flow rate of coolant in kg/hr
Cp is coolant specific heat in kCal /kg deg C
Ti is inlet, temperature of coolant to evaporator (chiller) in °C
To is outlet temperature of coolant from evaporator (chiller) in °C.
The above TR is also called as chiller tonnage.

● The specific power consumption kW/TR is a useful indicator of the

performance of refrigeration system. By measuring refrigeration duty
performed in TR and the kiloWatt inputs, kW/TR is used as a reference
energy performance indicator.
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF CHILLER SYSTEM

● In a centralized chilled water system, apart from the compressor

unit, power is also consumed by the chilled water (secondary) coolant
pump as well condenser water (for heat rejection to cooling tower)
pump and cooling tower fan in the cooling tower.
Effectively, the overall energy consumption would be towards:
– Compressor kW
– Chilled water pump kW
– Condenser water pump kW
– Cooling tower fan kW, for induced / forced draft towers
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF CHILLER SYSTEM

● An indicative TR load profile for air conditioning is presented as

follows:
Small office cabins = 0.1 TR /m2
Medium size office i.e., = 0.06 TR/ m2
10 – 30 people occupancy with central A/C
Large multi-storeyed office = 0.04 TR/ m2 complexes with central A/C
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF CHILLER SYSTEM
TG Chillers - 3nos.(2W+1SB)
S.N Chiller Chiller
Parameters UOM No.1 No.3
o. Design
Actual Actual
1 Chilled water Outlet Set Temp. deg.C 5 to 25 10 10.1

2 Power Consumption of Compressor kW 210 94.86 93.3

3 Power Consumption of Fan kW 11 8.28 8.41

4 Power Consumption of Chiller Pump kW 22 18.2 18.69

5 Total Power Consumption kW 194 121.34 120.40
6 Total Pump Flow m3/hr 105 81.5 81.5
Inlet Chilled water temp.
7 deg.C 12 12.1 11.9
(entering into Evaporator)
Outlet Chilled water temp. (leaving
8 deg.C 8 9.2 8.9
Evaporator)
9 Chilled water temp difference across chiller deg.C 5.0 2.9 3
Refrigeration Effect of
10 kcal/hr 529200 236350 244500
Chiller Plant
Refrigeration Effect of
11 TR 175 78.16 80.85
Chiller Plant
12 Specific Power Consumption kW/TR 1.11 1.55 1.49
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF CHILLER SYSTEM
ESP Chillers - 2nos.(1W+1SB)
S.No. Parameters UOM Chiller No.1
Design Actual
1 Chilled water Outlet Set Temp. deg.C 5 to 25 10

2 Power Consumption of Compressor kW 310 92.00

3 Power Consumption of Fan kW 35.2 12.47

4 Power Consumption of Chiller Pump kW 15 12.49

5 Total Power Consumption kW 288 116.96

6 Total Pump Flow m3/hr 125 85

Inlet Chilled water temp.
7 deg.C 12 12.8
(entering into Evaporator)
Outlet Chilled water temp. (leaving
8 deg.C 8 9.9
Evaporator)
Chilled water temp difference across
9 deg.C 5.6 2.9
chillar
Refrigeration Effect of
10 kcal/hr 695520 246500
Chiller Plant
Refrigeration Effect of
11 TR 230 81.51
Chiller Plant

12 Specific Power Consumption kW/TR 1.25 1.43

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