FCB30602

Practical Work 1

Chiller
Introduction
Chiller is the main component of a cooling system. The chiller centralizes three heat exchanging
cycles: the refrigeration cycle, the chilled water process, and cooling water process. The chiller
creates chilled water in a centralized building location that can be distributed for water usage and
air conditioning purposes. The chiller is an all-in-one system that operates under the vapor
compression cycle, using refrigerants as the working fluid.
According to the Malaysian Standards, the chiller is typically the largest energy consumer in
building. The energy consumed by chiller decreases as the set point of the leaving chilled water
increased.
Based on Herbert W.Standford III writings, HVAC Water Chillers and Cooling Towers.
The primary goal for chiller operation is to produce chilled water as economically as possible.
One of the major chiller manufacturers estimates that, for the typical chiller installation, 25% of
the total owning and operating cost over the life of the chiller is related to the cost of designing,
purchasing, and installing the chiller, while 75% of the total cost is consumed by energy
expenses and maintenance costs.
Types of chiller
Mechanical compression
During the compression cycle, the refrigerant passes through four major components within the
chiller; the evaporator, compressor, condenser, and a flow metering device such as an expansion
valve. The evaporator is the low temperature (cooling) side of the system and the condenser is
the high temperature (heat-rejection) side of the system.
The most commonly used systems for industrial and commercial refrigeration and air
conditioning are Vapor Compression Refrigeration System and Vapors Absorption Refrigeration
System.
Vapors compression machines, usually with electrically driven compressors, are the most
commonly used machines for refrigeration and air conditioning for temperatures ranging from
25C to -70C.
Vapor Absorption Refrigeration machines, wherein heat energy is consumed, are being
increasingly used. Absorption refrigeration machines may be economical in situations where
process waste heat or cheap fuels (usually coal or agro-waste) are available.
The uncertainty of energy availability and prices is likely to increase the preference for Hybrid
Systems, incorporating both Vapor Compression and Vapor Absorption. With the availability
natural gas, engine driven vapor compression system or engine waste heat based vapor
absorption systems may also find increasing use.

Figure 1: Types of Chillers.