The Selection and Sizing of an Air-Cooled Chiller for Any Specific Application: A Step-By-Step Guide

Proper selection and sizing of an air-cooled chiller are crucial to ensure optimal performance, energy efficiency, and cost-effectiveness over the life of your chiller. In this guide, we will provide a step-by-step process for selecting and sizing an air-cooled chiller for any specific application of your consideration.

Importance of Proper Air-Cooled Chiller Selection

Energy Demands

The selection of an air-cooled chiller that is properly matched to the specific application can result in significant energy savings.

An oversized chiller will consume more energy than is necessary, while an undersized chiller will struggle to meet the cooling demands of the system.

Therefore, your selection criteria ought to be sharp to avoid lacklustre performance.

System Outputs

A properly selected chiller can help to ensure cooling capacity even under changing load conditions. This can aid in maintaining a comfortable indoor environment avoiding potential everlasting damage to the product.

Decreased Costs in Maintenance and Repairs

When you choose the correct chiller, you minimize maintenance and repair costs over the life of the system. You can say goodbye to hefty maintenance bills by simply choosing wisely.

Environmental Impact

We know you care about the world we live in. You also want your company to live by those principles that you stand for.

You can be an agent for change by electing a piece of machinery that can also have a positive impact on the environment by reducing energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Advantages of Proper Air-Cooled Chiller Selection

Proper air-cooled chiller selection offers numerous advantages, including:

• Reduced maintenance
• Minimized repair costs
• Improved environmental sustainability
• Enhanced comfort
• Elevated productivity
• Regulatory compliance with the strictest of manufacturing protocols

Importance of Proper Air-Cooled Chiller Sizing

Oversized Chillers Consume Too Many Resources

Any oversized air-cooled chiller will consume more energy than necessary, resulting in higher operating costs and an absence of energy efficiency.

Oversized chiller consequences entail short cycling, reduced equipment lifespan, and increased wear and tear on most of its parts.

Undersized Chillers Do That Too!

Conversely, an undersized chiller will struggle to meet the cooling demands of the system, leading to fluctuations in energetic inputs.

Furthermore, an undersized chiller can result in insufficient cooling capacity, leading to discomfort for occupants, equipment damage, or even system failure.

Extended Lifespan

Proper chiller sizing can help extend the lifespan of the equipment by eliminating superfluous work. Get the chiller that you need, and the chiller will do the dirty work for you in a clean way!

Advantages of Proper Air-Cooled Chiller Sizing

Picking the correct size comes with one too many upsides that benefit both you and your company:

• Energy efficiency
• Up-to-par performance characterized by adequate cooling on the product’s part
• Optimal maintenance of environmental conditions such as indoor temperature and humidity levels
• Saving money in the long run!

Steps to Adequately Select and Size an Air-Cooled Water Chiller

What Does the Ambient Tell You?

Identify the ambient conditions, such as the outdoor temperature and humidity levels. This will affect the chiller’s performance. What works for a given place might not work as well for another one.

Assess Your Design Considerations

The design conditions for the application are very relevant. From maximum and minimum temperatures to humidity levels and airflow rates, consider it all.

These conditions are typically based on the needs of the space or process being cooled and should be considered when you determine the chiller type and capacity to be purchased.

Check the Cooling Load of Your Equipment

This is the amount of heat that needs to be removed from your surroundings. The size of the air-cooled chiller will largely be determined by this, so take your time to find this out. The cooling load is typically measured in tons of refrigeration or kilowatts.

These are some of the factors that can affect the cooling load of your chiller:

• Size of the space or process
• Number of occupants or equipment
• Desired temperature
• Humidity levels

Select the Refrigerant

The refrigerant is the substance that absorbs and releases heat as it circulates through the chiller. The choice of refrigerant will depend on factors such as the desired efficiency, environmental impact, and safety. Common refrigerants include R-134a, R-410A, and R-407C.

Choose the Right Type of Chiller

There are several types of air-cooled chillers, including scroll, screw, and centrifugal. Choose the type of chiller that is most appropriate for the application based on factors such as size, efficiency, and cost.

Calculate the Capacity

Calculate the chiller’s capacity based on the cooling load, design conditions, refrigerant, ambient conditions, and type of chiller selected. This will shape the election of the required chiller size.

Make a Pick of the Model

Choose a specific chiller model that meets the capacity and performance requirements of what you require.

Reflect Upon Installment Requirements

Think of your installation requirements, such as the space required for the chiller, power supply, and piping connections. The best chiller in the world will be no good if it does not suit you.

Consider Maintenance and Operational Costs

Having a chiller can put a strain on your wallet, so evaluate the long-term maintenance and operational costs of the chiller, including all the elements that can alter the budget.

Stick to the Manufacturer’s Recommendations

Check with the manufacturer to confirm that the selected chiller model is appropriate for your desired application and meets all safety and regulatory requirements.

Water Flow Rate Required by the System

The water flow rate required by the system of an air-cooled chiller will depend on several factors, including the cooling load, the chiller capacity, and the design of the system.

In general, the water flow rate required by an air-cooled chiller system is lower than that of a water-cooled system, since the air-cooled chiller uses air to reject the heat instead of water.

However, water is still required to circulate through the chiller’s evaporator and condenser coils to transfer heat between the refrigerant and the air.

One of the main factors that determine the water flow rate is the cooling load, which is the amount of heat that needs to be removed from the space or process being cooled. The cooling load is typically measured in BTU/hr (British Thermal Unit per hour) and is influenced by the factors outlined above.

Also, the manufacturer will typically provide a range of recommended flow rates based on the chiller’s capacity and the design of the system that can be calculated by the employment of differential formulae.

It is important to note that the actual water flow rate required by the system may be higher than the calculated value to account for factors such as pressure drop in the piping and the need for redundancy in case of equipment failure.

Chilled Water Supply Temperature by the System

The chilled water supply temperature is a critical parameter in the performance of an air-cooled chiller system. It refers to the temperature of the water leaving the chiller and entering the cooling system or process.

The chilled water supply temperature is typically determined by the cooling load requirements of the building or process, and it can range from 35° F to 55° F (1.67° C to 12.78° C, respectively), depending on the specific application.

Maintaining the appropriate chilled water supply temperature is crucial to ensure optimal system performance and energy efficiency.

If the chilled water supply temperature is too high, the system may not be able to meet the cooling demand, leading to uncomfortable or unsafe indoor conditions, equipment overheating, and potential equipment failure.

On the other hand, if the chilled water supply temperature is too low, the system may be consuming more energy than necessary, leading to increased operating costs and reduced equipment lifespan.

To determine the appropriate chilled water supply temperature, several factors must be considered, including the cooling load requirements, ambient conditions, equipment efficiency, and the cost of energy. However, finding the optimal chilled water supply temperature requires a careful evaluation of everything.

In addition, make sure that you constantly monitor the temperature to double-check that your chiller is operating within the desired range. You can use control systems and sensors for this matter.

Chilled Water Return Temperature by the System

In general, the chilled water return temperature should be set as high as possible to maximize the efficiency of the chiller and minimize energy consumption. This is because a higher chilled water return temperature results in less work required by the chiller to remove the heat.

Yet, the chilled water return temperature cannot be set too high, as this can result in insufficient cooling and potential damage to the chiller. So, the chilled water return shall be set to achieve what was stated beforehand.

The chilled water return temperature is typically determined by the design of the system and the requirements of the processes being cooled, and by the cooling load and the chiller’s capacity. The design of the system will affect the temperature differential between the water and the air, which will in turn influence the chilled water return temperature.

To determine the chilled water return temperature for a specific air-cooled chiller system, it’s important to consider the manufacturer’s recommendations and specifications for the chiller model too, determined by calculations that employ specific parameters that can—and should—be consulted with a proper professional in this regard.

Ambient Wet-Bulb for the Installation Site

The ambient wet-bulb temperature is an important factor to consider when selecting and sizing an air-cooled chiller for a specific installation site. It refers to the lowest temperature that can be achieved through evaporative cooling, and it’s typically measured in degrees Fahrenheit.

The ambient wet-bulb temperature is a measure of the humidity in the air, and it plays a key role in the efficiency of air-cooled chillers. This is because air-cooled chillers rely on the evaporation of water to remove heat from the refrigerant. The lower the ambient wet-bulb temperature, the more efficiently the chiller can operate.

Get Your Optimal Air-Cooled Chiller Today!

Once you sort out all the possibilities, get your hands on the best air-cooled chillers in the market. AMCON is your best bet. AMCON is a Malaysia-based company that provides air-cooled chiller solutions to companies in different areas. Visit us at https://amcon.com.my/ for further product information.