Choosing a commercial chiller to handle excess heat in your building may be difficult. Large investment, critical operations. You need to know what you’re buying and what you need it to do. A commercial chiller can be a complex unit, and it’s essential to understand how it works before you make a purchase.
You can choose between air-cooled and water-cooled chillers—or even a hybrid solution that uses both systems. Each of them is designed to negate the thermal energy produced by different factors, including computers, manufacturing machinery, the presence of many people, and direct heat from the sun.
Today, let’s take a closer look at chillers to guide you in finding one for your business. Here’s what you need to know:
Types of Chillers
Air-Cooled Units
A traditional air-cooled chiller is the most commonly installed type. As the name implies, it transfers heat from the process fluid to the atmosphere by passing it through a heat exchanger, which is cooled by a refrigerant flowing through a metal fin coil. Air-cooled chillers are simple and relatively inexpensive. However, they require large amounts of exterior space and are not appropriate for certain environments, such as those with a high ambient temperature.
Water-Cooled Units
Water-cooled chillers rely on water for heat transfer instead of air. While they offer more installation flexibility, they also tend to be more expensive and less energy-efficient than air-cooled units. They also require more maintenance.
Hybrid Chillers
Hybrid chillers use both air and water heat exchangers. They are more efficient than air-cooled chillers and less expensive than water-cooled chillers. However, they can be challenging to install because of the need to install both water and airlines.
Factors to Consider
Energy Efficiency
An essential factor to consider when choosing a chiller is its compressor efficiency rating. This type of rating is determined by how much electricity the chiller will use when operating at its rated capacity. The higher the rating, the more efficient the unit is, and the less electricity it will use to cool the same volume of water.
If your company has a budget for efficient equipment and wants to reduce its electricity costs, a chiller with a high-efficiency rating is a good choice. You can use our chiller sizing tool to determine the correct size to get the right ratio.
Maximum Cooling Capacity
Another critical factor to consider is the cooling capacity necessary to cool your space. To determine the correct capacity for your chiller, you need to know the volume of your space, the temperature it needs to be cooled to, the relative humidity levels, and the amount of heating present in the space.
Measurements
Outside Dimension (OD)
The outside dimension of a chiller is the measurement of the outside of the unit, not including the feet. It is also called the footprint, and it measures the total length and width of the chiller.
Inside Dimension (ID)
The inside dimension of a chiller is the measurement of the inside of the unit, not including the feet. It is also called the interior frame, and it measures the total length and width of the chiller, excluding the cooling coil and fan.
The Bottom Line
For business owners looking to improve their facility and reduce energy costs, a chiller is a simple, cost-effective option that can serve a range of business needs. Whether you are looking to add cooling to the manufacturing process or protect the data centre from overheating, a chiller can be used to fulfil those goals. It’s essential to research the different types of chillers and understand how they work before making a purchasing decision.
If you are looking for industrial chiller hire, we can help you. Here at London Climate Hire, we are HVAC specialists providing the complete Turnkey rental solution. We supply boilers, chillers, heaters, portable air-conditioning, generators, and ancillaries. Contact us today to learn more and get started!