Applications
Although the air-cooled chiller is preferred in most applications, there are good reasons to go for a water-cooled model. The main reason is the availability of cooling water on larger industrial sites with a central cooling tower plant. Capacity ranges from around 200 kW up to 3000 kW or more in a single unit. Larger capacities can be met with multiple chiller installationsComponents
The unit is mostly delivered as a packed unit, meaning it is produced as a complete unit and ready to be installed at the site. The unit includes a complete refrigeration system with a capacity control system ready to go. Traditionally, heat exchangers on the unit are of the shell and tube type but nowadays plate heat exchangers are often used. For compression, reciprocating compressors are used traditionally but newer units have screw-type compressors.Temperature range
The temperature range on the chilled water side is normally from 5 °C up to around 20 °C. Lower temperatures are possible by using a suitable water anti-freeze mixture, this is most often an ethylene or propylene glycol mixture. The limitation depends on the model and make but is typically in the range of -6 °C to -10 °C.Special low-temperature units can cool to lower temperatures of -25 °C, and even -40 °C is possible .
Reliability
The water-cooled chiller normally runs on very stable temperatures at the chilled water side, as well as the cooling water side. This causes very low thermal stress in the components, resulting in a very reliable unit with minimal maintenance. The main concern is the quality of the water treatment on the cooling water side. Bad water management causes corrosion.Interchangeable
As said before, the water-cooled chiller is a packaged unit. Selection criteria are the required cooling capacity, water temperature and water flow. And of course size of the electrical connection. This means that an existing unit can, in case required, simply be replaced by a similar unit. This is a very important characteristic.
HOS BV can deliver a wide range of chillers in all applicable capacities, sizes and makes, from stock or with a very short lead time.