Category Archives: Chillers

Regular Post

Written by craig braddick

22 November 2019

Chiller Tips For Hot Weather

In the hot summer time, the efficency of any industrial liquid chiller is reduced. Read on to learn more about keeping your chiller working smoothly when the sun comes out!

Water-Cooled Chillers

Make sure the plant water system is operating correctly.
Most chillers require three gallons per minute of cooling water for every ton of system capacity delivered at a pressure differential of 20 pounds per square inch.
Keep it clean by phsicially cleaning the condenser tubes or utilize a chemical cleaning system. The slightest build up of scale can have a dramatic effect on performance.
Make sure the pressure activated water modeling valve is opened fully when required.

Air-Cooled Water Chillers

Utilize a non-acid based commercial coil cleaning system to keep the condenser coil clean and the fins properly combed to allow proper airflow.
Make sure the space is adequate around the chiller to ensure thecorrect amount of airflow. Most need four to five feet of clearance space on the air inlet side and clear space above as well as four to five feet of clearance space for units that discharge on the side.
Ensure the ventilation is adequate so air recirculating is prevented.
Make sure fan blades, motors and blowers are working correctly and well maintained.

All Kote Lining Inc Offers Water Chillers And Water Chiller Maintenance Throughout The Phoenix Area.

All Kote Lining Inc sells Industrial Water Chillers throughout the Phoenix area. Also, All Kote Lining, Inc. offers chiller maintenance and repair to the Phoenix Valley. We keep chillers and cooling towers operating at their highest possible performance. Refurbishment is one of our services which saves companies and municipalities significant operating costs in comparison to needing cooling tower or chiller replacement. Get in touch with All Kote Lining, Inc. to learn more about what we can do for your chillers and cooling towers.

Regular Post

Written by craig braddick

16 October 2019

Chiller Tips For Cold Weather

Chillers have to be able to work year round and in some cases it is a good idea to make sure your chiller can work at maximum capacity. Follow these tips to make sure your chillers work hard through the cold weather.

Glycol charts will display the ambient temperature and give you an indication of the total amount of glycol you will need. To do this you will have to utilize a refractometer, specifically inhibited propylene glycol that is especially made for HVAC systems, especially for high and medium temperature chiller applications.
Snow and ice must be kept off the chiller condenser coils as they can damage fan blades and restrict the air flow through the condenser and this will reduce the potential of the cooling abilities of the chiller.
Use the manual controls for your head pressures. Head pressures drop during very cold weather and if the chiller is not one that has ambient control equipment such as a flooded condenser or fan cycling, the chiller may not operate correctly. One way of solving this is to block the flow of air through the condenser by wrapping it with plastic or using some card board to block the condenser. it is not a perfect fix, nor a permanent one but will work on a temporary basis.
By allowing the pump to run, it should provide sufficent warm water to keep the fluid above the freezing level or above the freeeze levels of the glycol. But at night, the ambient temperature of the air will cool down the fluid rapidly. When the pump is allowed to run, heat will be added from the pumps and from inside the buildings.
By planning ahead, you can ensure your chiller is equipped to handle the cold weather conditions in your environment. If you perform a maintenance check in Spetember, it will give you ample time to make any needed alternations.
Make sure everything in the system is correctly and completely installed including pumps, piping, safeties and controls.
Make sure the cooler evaporator is connected to its separate electrical service and checked for the correct voltage.
Perform an inspection for cracks and leaks before the onset of cold weather. This may be an action that saves you tens of thousands of dollars over the winter.
Develop a back up plan should your chiller lose power over the cold weather period of the year.

All Kote Lining Inc Offers Water Chillers And Water Chiller Maintenance Throughout The Phoenix Area.

Regular Post

Written by craig braddick

20 September 2019

How To Prevent Legionnaires Disease In Cooling Towers

At some point the majority of cooling towers will be contaminated with Legionella. The most effective deterrent is a quallity program of water treatment that not only prevents the aforementioned risk but also ensures a safter and more efficent operation of the system as well as a longer life for the system. However no maintenance system and water treatement alone will guarantee to keep legionella at bay. So read on to learn more about the best practices to use!

Cooling towers of course contain pools of water that is not only warm but open to the atmosphere, ideal conditions for legionella bacteria if there is not regular maintenance and frequent disinfecting and cleaning taking place. There is no question that managing the risk falls within the purview of the manager and facility owners. Let’s look at the hazards and how they can be prevented in further detail.

Water Source Quality

Hazard – Usually coming from a municipal or well supply but can sometimes come from a holding tank, make up water often contains sludge, sediment and rust.

Preventative Measures – The cooling tower should be disinfected and cleaned focusing on the entire tower and any holding tank by removing any sediment, sludge and rust at least two times per year. If the water is coming from a river, reservoir or lake, antimicrobial treatments should be used before the water enters the cooling system to prevent fouling.

Treatment Of Water

Hazard – The flow velocities, temperature and other environmental factors of cooling tower waters vary.

Preventative Measures – The system should be designed so water can circulate throughout the system whenever it is operating. System operation should be coordinated with a full chemical treatment of the water. Also, keep the system clean by removing all dirt and debris. If the cooling tower needs to be shut down for more than three days, the entire system should be drained.

Understanding Disinfection

Hazard – Cooling towers are open to the environment and the system can rapidly become recolonized with micro bacteria.

Preventative Measures – Vary the antimicrobial stresses in the cooling tower microbial control program by alternating between two non-oxidizing biocides.

Significance of Biofilms

Hazard – Dust, dirt and suchlike enter the cooling tower water during the cooling tprocess. Depending on where the cooling tower is located, the amount of material can be extensive. The presence of biofilms is important for Legionella survival and growth providing nutrients in water systems.

Preventative Measures – It is strongly advised to use a compatible and environmentally acceptable dispersant and/or detergent to penetrate biofilm and sediments. Make sure to follow proper cleaning and maintenance for your cooling system to ensure top performance and to minimize the risk of disease

All Kote Lining Inc Offers Water Chillers And Water Chiller Maintenance Throughout The Phoenix Area.

Regular Post

Written by craig braddick

15 July 2019

Chiller Replacement Or Repair

An HVAC chiller is often the most costly piece of equipment in a building and the most expensive to tun. While chillers often last many years, eventually you will have to ask yourself, when is the best time to repair or replace the chiller, Read on and learn more about what is the best answer.

Chiller Replacement Considerations

Take into account the following when you are thinking of replacing the HVAC chiller:

It can take a long time to install a chiller often in excess of 12 months when you take into account the time it takes to make the replacement decision to the time the chiller is fully installed and operational.
The occupants of the entire building can be disrupted as modifications may be required to the piping system and ceilings and walls may have to be opened, closed or even removed for the work to progress.
Uninterrupted cooling may be a critical need for the building, so an arrangement will have to be made for temporary systems of chilling.

Chiller Maintenance Considerations

The problems above are often enough to make people seek out maintenance options. But you have to be careful as it may be a false economy in the long run so consider the following:

In the past twenty years advances in technology mean the operating efficiencies of chiller have improved greatly, helping to balance the cost of a brand new chiller. In short, a new chiller operating on a full load may only need around 60% of the energy taken by a twenty-year-old chiller.
Over time the operations of the building may have changed as well as structural improvements like new roofing and energy efficient windows installed. These all have an impact on the cooling load of the building. if the load has increased, the chiller may be an inadequate size and vise-versa. either way, the efficiency of the chiller is being compromised.

Existing Chiller Maintenance And Reliability

As components wear over time, chiller outages are likely to become more frequent. It is important to maintain an accurate chiller log so vital information regarding the performance of the chiller can be retained and used for future reference purposes. When looking at the current and future requirements and maintenance costs of the existing chiller, remember parts for older chillers are becoming scarce an harder to find. On occasion the decision to replace the chiller is obvious. If your chiller is in excess of twenty years old, works over 1000 hours per year and services loads that are critical, a replacement may be a good idea. But maintenance may be better, if, for example, your 10-year-old chiller is well suited to its requirements and had been properly maintained.

Phoenix Chiller Maintenance & Repair

Call Today – 480-966-4446

Regular Post

Written by webtechs

30 May 2019

What Are Air Cooled Chillers?

Are you searching for “What Are Air Cooled Chillers?” If you are, All Kote Lining, Inc. has you covered with information about what they are and if they can be used in your facility in the Phoenix metro area. Air cooled chillers are designated for use as refrigeration systems which cool process fluids. They are also used to dehumidify air in industrial or commercial facilities.

What Is An Air Cooled Chiller?

Air-cooled chillers are refrigeration systems used in both industrial and commercial facilities to dehumidify air and/or cool fluids. They are used in a wide range of locations including hotels, restaurants, corporate events, sporting events, large-scale construction sites, industrial and manufacturing plants, and the like. Portable air-cooled chillers are great for one-off events or permanent framework. They are small scale and extremely efficient, as well as easy to install and uninstall. This makes them perfect for temporary, supplemental, or emergency applications.

While it’s often presumed that water-cooled chillers run more efficiently than air-cooled chillers, this is only true if you look closely at the cost of the compressor. If you consider the adaptable speed control and centrifugal compressors, air-cooled chillers may be the better choice.

How Do Air Cooled Chillers Work?

Air-cooled chillers actively soak up heat from process water; then they transfer this heat into the air around the chiller itself. This type of unit is usually used in areas where added heat discharge is not a problem, but alternatively works as a benefit. As an example, the added heat can be used to warm a space during the winter for less money than conventional heating systems.

Types Of Air Cooled Chillers

-Stationary air-cooled chillers: These units are used when excess heat is not a problem.

-Portable air-cooled chillers: These units are portable and are just as effective as stationary chillers.

Placement Of Air Cooled Chillers

Air cooled chillers are usually located in mechanical equipment rooms or in areas of the building that is close to the place it is cooling. In some settings, the air coolers are kept right near the area they are cooling; this is based upon the sizes of the chiller and compressor. In some circumstances, chillers are placed outdoors.

Air Cooled Chillers Maintenance and Repair Phoenix

All Kote Lining, Inc., offers air cooled chiller maintenance and repair in Phoenix, Arizona. If you have an air cooled chiller, it will require regular maintenance to work without using too much energy. If you need chiller repair or industrial chiller tube coatings, we can help you get your system working order. We also work on cooling towers that are commonly associated with chiller systems. Call us today for service at 480-966-4446.

Air Cooled Chillers, Chillers, Coatings

Regular Post

Written by craig braddick

15 May 2019

What Is A Chiller?

Industrial water chillers are used in a diverse range of applications where chilled liquid or water are circulated through processing equipment. Most frequently utilized to cool machinery and products, they are also used in die and tool cutting, chemicals, machine tool, lasers, semiconductors, injection molding and more. An industrial chiller works by moving heat from one place to a different location. Often a solution of glycol and water is used to transfer the heat back and forth from the chiller and that may necessitate a pumping and reservoir system. A sufficient cooling system is essential to your level of productivity.

Water Chiller Definition

According to Brighthub Engineering, a water chiller is a vital part of an HVAC system. It works by removing heat from the system by dehumidifying and cooling the air. The two types used in an HVAC system are the mechanical type and the absorption type. The mechanical chiller system has a condenser, evaporator, compressor as well as other controlling devices. The absorption chiller system used an absorber and generator as opposed to a compressor. You can learn more about this process here.

How Chillers Work

In most cases, a pumping system is used to circulate cool water or a glycol/water solution to the process from the chiller. Cool fluid removes the warm fluid and the heat is transferred back to the chiller. Chillers contain refrigerant, a compound that differs depending on the application but they work on the same principle we have just described. This is known as the refrigeration cycle. The refrigeration cycle commences with a low-pressure liquid/gas mix entering into the evaporator. The heat from the process water or water/glycol solution boils the refrigerant, changing it from a low-pressure liquid to low-pressure gas. The low-pressure gas enters the compressor and then becomes high-pressure gas. The high-pressure gas enters the condenser where condenser water or ambient air removes heat to cool it to a high-pressure liquid. The high-pressure liquid moves to the expansion valve, controlling how much liquid refrigerant enters the evaporator, starting the refrigeration cycle once again.

Chillers use two kinds of condensers, water-cooled and air-cooled. In a water-cooled condenser, water from a cooling tower cools and condenses the refrigerant. An air-cooled condenser uses ambient air to cool and condense the hot refrigerant gas back down to a liquid, ultimately rejecting the heat from the chiller to the air. You can learn more about water chillers here.

What Chiller Is Best For You?

Chiller systems are vastly different in both design and size. They are available as localized, small or portable units as well as large central chillers to provide total cooling solutions.

All Kote Lining Inc Offers Water Chillers And Water Chiller Maintenance Throughout The Phoenix Area.

Regular Post

Written by webtechs

27 September 2018

Types Of Chiller Systems

If you are searching for Types Of Chillers, this post should help! Industrial chillers are an integral part of keeping large commercial buildings comfortable during the warmer months. They typically work in conjunction with a cooling tower which helps reduce the overall temperature of the cooling system. There are two main categories of chillers, these are air and water chillers.

Contents on this page:[one-half-first]

Types of Chillers
Air Chillers
Water Chillers
Evaporative Condensed Chillers
Chiller Subcategories
Reciprocating Chillers
Rotary Screw Chillers
Centrifugal Compression Chillers
Absorption Chillers
Where Are Chillers Used?

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[one-half] Types-Of-Chillers Industrial [/one-half]

Types Of Chillers

There are 3 types of chillers that cool things using air, water, and evaporation. Each type may have subcategories based on how each of them accomplish this goal. Technology varies and depending on the age of the building you own or manage the type of chiller you have may fit into one of the following categories.

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Air Chillers
Water Chillers
Evaporative Condensed Chillers
Reciprocating Chillers
Rotary Screw Chillers

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Centrifugal Chillers
Frictionless Centrifugal Chillers
Screw Driven Chillers
Absorption Chillers

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Air Chillers

Air chillers can be split in various configurations or used as a single piece unit. Air chillers vary in size from small capacity to 100+ ton models that are used to cool commercial buildings. The difference between air cooled and water cooled chillers is that air chillers use ambient air as the condensing source and a fan that moves the air over the coil. Water chillers on the other hand use water as the condensing source and a pump that circulates water through the condenser out to the cooling tower that releases it into the atmosphere.

Water Chillers

Water chillers are mechanical devices/refrigeration systems that are used to dehumidify air and cool fluids in industrial and commercial facilities. They have many applications from process use to space cooling. The difference between water and air chillers is that the water is sent to a cooling tower to cool the water in a water chiller.

Evaporative Condensed Chillers

An evaporative condensed chiller is an alternative to water and air condensed chillers. Most evaporative condensed chillers range from 15-200 tons but one should select a system that is best suited for their individual facility. Maximizing heat rejection in evaporative chillers is done by recalculating the water constantly to provide on-going wetting of the condenser tubes while mechanical fans pull the air over them, which evaporates the water and rejects the heat to the atmosphere.

Sub-Categories Of Chillers

These chillers are sub-categories of the main 3 types of chillers: reciprocating, rotary screw, and absorption chillers. Each have their own design and pro vs. cons. Choosing the right chiller for your facility is an important decision. It will decide how well you are equipped to take care of your industrial process or use the chiller as part of your HVAC system in a commercial building.

Reciprocating Chiller

Gas is compressed inside these types of chillers with pistons, not unlike a car engine. There are multiple pistons that continue to compress the gas to heat it. The difference is that the hot gas is used inside the system, not simply exhausted out of a tailpipe. The demand is matched by the adjustable intake and exhaust valves that can be opened to allow the piston to simply idle. Idling the piston when demand for chilled water helps manage capacity. This system is very flexible and can cope with the specific demands from load on the system. It is also possible to manage the capacity to match the demand with a hot gas bypass, but it is not considered to be as efficient. Some systems use both capacity control systems which unload pistons but also utilize the hot-gas bypass to match demand.

Rotary Screw Chillers

The screw compressor is also known and a helical compressor. Inside the stationary housing it contains to mating helically grooved rotors. Direct volume reduction is achieved when the helical rotors rotate. The capacity of a rotary screw compressor varies between 20 and 450 tons and is controlled by a sliding inlet valve or variable speed drive.

Centrifugal Compression Chillers

One of the main features of the centrifugal compression chiller is that they offer a high cooling capacity in a compact design. They operate via an impeller, much like a water pump. The impeller compresses the refrigerant. These chillers can be outfitted with both variable speed drives and inlet vanes which are used to regulate the control of the chilled water capacity. These are high capacity and can handle 150 tons and up.

Frictionless Centrifugal Chillers

Much like the regular centrifugal design these operate via the same principles but do so with magnetic bearings. The use of magnetic bearings eliminates the need for lubricant and features variable speed DC motors. These motors are typically direct drive and attached directly to the chillers. The capacity of these chillers range anywhere from 60 to 300 tons.

Absorption Chillers

Instead of utilizing a mechanical compressor the absorption chillers use a heat source to be the driving force behind the refrigeration cycle. These chillers typically use two liquids, one to cool and one to absorb. The absorbent liquid is usually ammonia or lithium bromide, and the coolant is usually water.

The two liquids are separated and recombined during the absorption cycle. Due to the low pressure conditions in the chiller water can change phase easily. Water and the absorption liquid also perform well in chillers because of their natural properties of affinity.

The refrigeration cycle starts with the heating of the combined liquids. This boils the water out of the absorption liquid at a high pressure. The next step is sending the refrigerant water vapor past a condenser coil where the heat is rejected and the water vapor is phased into a high pressure liquid. Then the high pressure liquid is passed along to the lower pressure evaporator where adiabatic flash evaporation returns the water to a gas. This absorbs the heat from the water that needs to be chilled. The last step is the concentrated absorption liquid is sent back to be recombined with the lower pressure water vapors coming from the evaporator.

Where Are Chillers Used?

In the industrial world there are millions of machines which generate incredible heat. For these machines not to overheat and melt themselves they must be cooled. This is what a chiller is designed to do. Chillers are used for processes that operate at 60°F or lower. For processes which operate at 85° or higher cooling towers are a better fit. Listed below you’ll find some of the common areas in which chillers are used:

HVAC Systems

Cooling systems are more than just a matter of comfort in Arizona, they are matter of health and safety. For commercial locations cooling expenses typically make up about 30% to 50% of the energy costs. With the cost of electricity always on the rise and the phasing out of HCFCs and CFCs there is an incredibly high demand for replacing large commercial air conditioning and refrigeration systems with chilling systems.

Plastic Fabrication

Chillers used in plastic fabrication typically take on one or both of two roles, cooling the plastic products and cooling the machinery used to make them. The products which are blown, stamped, or extruded. The chiller units are also used to keep the barrel of the extruder, and hydraulics of the molding machine cool. This not only saves on energy but it also helps extend the life of the plastic fabrication equipment.

Medical Facilities

Medical facilities, especially those which do MRIs, laboratory testing, scanning, and blood cooling all rely on chillers to get the job done. The scanning equipment such as MRI machines produce a lot of heat that must be dissipated quickly and safely to preserve the condition of the equipment.

Printing Houses

Chiller play a critical role in high volume printing houses. There is a lot of heat generated by friction through the printing rollers and as ink is dried in ovens. To keep the rollers in good condition and freshly printed paper in good condition chillers are used. They remove the heat from the process and keeps the parts and paper in good condition despite the high heat conditions.

Beverage Industry

A common step of many types of beverage production is cooking, mixing, and pasteurizing. Whether its soda, beer, milk, or other drinks the beverage industry relies on chillers to remove heat produced by these processes.

Laser Applications

Lasers are fast becoming a more common element of production, and one that produces a lot of heat. To keep the lasers and products they cut cool chillers are integrated into these systems.

Rubber Fabrication

The rubber industry relies on chillers to cool the multizone water temperature control units. This keeps the rubber mill, rubber extruder barrel, bambury mixers and calendars cool and working properly.

Where Are Chillers Installed?

Chillers are usually located in mechanical rooms where other industrial equipment is installed. In other cases the chiller may be outdoors or between the cooling tower and process that requires chiller. This usually depends on the application, the size, and type of chiller and the compressor. No matter where they are they will need regular chiller maintenance to operate efficiently. All Kote Lining, Inc. offers full service cooling tower and chiller maintenance to locations all over the Phoenix Valley.

Phoenix Valley Chiller Repair & Maintenance

All Kote Lining Inc. does far more than just apply protective coatings to your chiller tubes, chillers, and cooling towers. We service and repair chillers in the Phoenix area. We can help you get the most out of your commercial HVAC system by helping maintain the cooling tower and the chiller systems to ensure they are performing their best, and using as little energy as necessary. Give us a call today if you need repairs or service on your chiller system.

Air Chillers, Evaporative Chillers, Types Of Chillers, Water Chillers

Regular Post

Written by webtechs

15 August 2018

Chiller Maintenance Checklist

This chiller maintenance checklist will help you ensure you catch all of the important areas of your chiller system. In this post we’ve provided an air cooled chiller maintenance checklist as it is the most common design.

Click To Jump To A Heading:
Maintenance Checklist – Maintenance Tips – Schedule Maintenance

Chillers are a critical element in HVAC systems. Chillers take the heat out of the air and also are implemented in industrial settings to cool down equipment. This checklist is designed to help chiller owners and maintenance personnel conduct detailed and reliable maintenance on air-cooled chillers.

Download & View our Chiller Maintenance Checklist PDF

Air Cooled Chiller Maintenance Checklist

Follow this list as you inspect and maintain your chiller. Each item is important and diligent chiller maintenance will save money and make the system last longer.

Inspect water inlet and outlet for leaks
Clean out and inspect the sump for corrosion
Cooling coils need to be inspected and surfaces cleaned. Check for leaks, corrosion, or bent fins
The zone control actuators should be inspected, cleaned, and all adjustments made
The compressor needs various areas checked, these include: refrigerant charge, vibration, crankcase heater, oil levels and changes, operating temperatures, and if there are any leaks of refrigerant or oil.
Condenser fans should be cleaned, bearings need to be checked for wear and lubricated, and belts and couplings need to be checked and tightness checked or adjusted as necessary.
The condenser coil should be check for corrosion and leaks and all finds or combs need to be checked for bent sections.
The electrical disconnect should be inspected for proper operation and the contacts should be inspected and cleaned.
The exhaust air damper needs to be inspected for proper operation, have the bearings lubricated, and calibrate or adjust it for optimal operation.
Return air dampers also should be checked for proper operation, calibration, and bearings be lubricated.
The fresh air damper should also be inspected, calibrated, and bearings lubricated.
The filter dryer also should be inspected and any old, dirty, or damaged filters be replaced.

Chiller Maintenance Tips

The simple fact is that the chiller makes up for a significant portion of your electricity usage, even at peak performance. If you’ve got maintenance issues it can easily use an extra 10%, which hurts the bottom line. While technology has improved to remotely monitor chillers and technology has produced more durable and efficient parts, maintenance is still key.

Maintain A Log Daily

Knowledge is power and saving power is a big deal when it comes to chillers. Recording operating conditions such as flow rates, pressures, fluid levels, and temperatures helps build a useful record of your system. While it was standard to do bi-monthly checks today’s continuous monitoring technology allows you to keep accurate daily logs that will help you narrow down maintenance issues before there’s a bigger problem.

Condition Your Water

Corrosion and scaling are always a challenge in air cooled chiller systems. Treating the water in your system helps cut down on corrosion, scaling, and the growth of biological contaminants such as Legionella. All of these issues can let to a decrease in heat transfer caused by fouling and diminished heat transfer due to build up inside of pipes. It’s important to continually monitor your chilled water loops remotely and visually inspect them annually.

Clean Heat Transfer Tubes

A big part of the efficient operation of chillers relies on clean heat transfer tubes. If your system has mud, minerals, algae, or scaling it will coat the inside of the tubes and insulate them. While insulation is great at keeping heat out of a home in the summer the heat transfer in chillers is the cornerstone of how the system functions. Neglecting your chiller tube cleaning will end up inflating your operating costs and likely result in additional maintenance and more frequent downtime.

Maintain Refrigerant Charge

Your chiller’s ability to cool relies on having the right amount of refrigerant. To ensure your systems optimal efficient performance make sure you’ve got the right level of refrigerant. If there is air, moisture, or leaks in your system it will impact it’s performance. With insufficient refrigerant it will take more electricity for your system to perform the same cooling effect.

Provide Cooler Water

Providing cooler water for the condense improves the chiller’s performance. It will not have to work as hard to condense the water and will run more efficiently. In some cases this technique can compensate for problems with coils. While this does fix the problem it is a temporary solution as the chiller must work harder for the same effect.

Purge Non-Condensables

Chillers function on the principle of condensing refrigerant to cool. If moisture or air leaks into the system it introduces non-condensable elements into the system that rob it of efficiency. The percentage can be as high as 7% below the rated performance of the chiller system you have. When considering how much energy a chiller uses to begin with and extra 7% adds up quickly.

Maintain Appropriate Flow Rate

The rate at which your chilled water flows through the chiller does impact the chiller’s performance. If it is too slow it lowers efficiency. Too fast and it will cause erosion, vibration, and noise. It is best to keep the flow rate of your chiller somewhere between three and twelve feet per second. The exact speed will depend on your chiller’s design and the load needed by your location.

Upgrade To Variable Speed Drives

In most cases the chiller motor is the largest draw on electricity in the entire building. Single speed drives are on or off and cannot adjust for the difference in load the system is running under. In contrast a variable speed drive saves energy as it can adjust the speed to match the load. This saves a significant amount of energy in your chiller system. In addition variable speed allows the system to ramp up more smoothly in the case it is turned on in an emergency situation.

Check Oil In Compressor

If your compressor uses oil make sure you send a sample of it for inspection at a laboratory once per year. Due to the hermetically sealed nature of a close refrigerant system the compressor oil should only be changed if the lab deems it necessary. If there’s excessive moisture it can point to there being a problem with purging the system effectively. If the oil is changed ensure the filters are tested and replaced when there are pressure drops. In the case your system uses magnetic bearings and is frictionless your system will not have compressor oil.

Inspect Motors & Starters

You can save energy and downtime if you inspect your motors and starters. To do so inspect the sensor calibration and safety on the microprocessor controls. Also take the time to inspect the wiring and connections in your chiller system at common wear points and hot spots. Pay attention to signs of refrigerant leaks and test motors for insulation faults.

When To Inspect Chillers

Chillers should be inspected and maintained at least 2 times a year in areas where they are only used during the cooling seasons, or 4 times a year in areas that cool in all 4 seasons. Quarterly inspection helps your chillers, HVAC system, and cooling towers last longer and run more efficiently.

Maintained Chillers Operate More Efficiently

Using this checklist you can get better performance out of your chiller and cooling system. The better maintained your chiller is the less energy it uses, and that saves you money on utilities. As the chiller and HVAC system is one of the largest draws of electricity in many commercial, industrial, and medical facilities it is important to inspect, maintain, and repair chillers. Regular inspection and chiller maintenance will help save money and make the system last longer.

Chiller Maintenance in Arizona

If you have a property such as a commercial building, medical facility, or industrial site that uses chillers for processes or HVAC All Kote Lining, Inc can help you take care of the chiller maintenance you need to keep your energy use down and make your equipment last longer. We inspect, maintain, repair, and line chillers with the most durable coatings available. Give us a call today to find out what we can do for your company at 480-966-4446.