How Chiller Works

What is a chiller?

A chiller is a machine that removes heat from a liquid via a vapor-compression or absorption refrigeration cycle.

Types of Chiller

There are mainly two types of an industrial chiller-

1- water-cooled chiller

2- Air-cooled chiller

How Chiller Works?

Before knowing the working principle of an industrial chiller, let's know the main components of chillers-

The main parts of a chiller are-

1-Compressor

2-Condensor

3-Evaporator

4-Expansion Unit

1-Compressor

It is the main component of a chiller which create pressure difference to move the refringent around the system.

There are many types of compressor but screw types are the most famous between them all.

Its location is between evaporator and condenser.

2-Condensor

Its located after the compressor and before the expansion valve.

The purpose of the condenser is to remove heat from the refrigerant which was picked up in the evaporator.

3-Evaporator

It is  located between the expansion valve and  compressor.

Its main purpose is to collect the unwanted heat from the building and move this into the refrigerant so that it can be sent to the cooling tower and rejected.

4-Expansion Unit

It is located between the condenser and the evaporator. 

It’s purpose is to expand the refrigerant reducing its pressure and increase it’s volume which allow it to pick up the unwanted heat in the evaporator.

Working Of A water cooled Chiller

A water cooled chiller is basically connected to a cooling tower and AHU unit.

Normally the cooling capacity of the cooling tower are kept higher than the capacity of the chiller.

For example if we took 150 TR capacity water cooled chiller, it is advisable to use 200 TR capacity cooling tower.

Condenser unit of the chiller are connected with cooling tower through pipeline which extract unwanted heat from the system.

Evaporator unit of the chiller connected to the AHU unit through pipeline.

Closed Water circulation work perform  in the pipeline between AHU and chiller unit.

As the refrigerant came from expansion unit were cold, so building heat get transfer into cool refrigerant which makes closed pipeline water more cold.