What Is An Air Cooled Chiller & How Does It Work

Air-cooled chillers are cooling machines used in both commercial and industrial facilities to cool fluids by condensed air. They are used in a wide variety of settings including hotels, large-scale construction, industrial and manufacturing plants, and so forth. Our portable air-cooled chillers are essential components in industries. They are compact and highly cooling efficient, as well as easy to install and remove. These chillers work by extracting heat from the surrounding air and transferring it to a refrigerant. The chilled refrigerant is then distributed through a system to remove heat from a process or building. In this article, we will talk about the working principle of air cooled chillers and how they compare to other industrial chiller types.

Working Principle of Air Cooled Chiller

Air-cooled chillers use fans to draw air through the heat exchanger to absorb heat from process water;then they transfer this heat into the air around the chiller unit. The cycle starts with the heat exchanger,this heat exchanger is called an evaporator,which has a liquid refrigerant that flows over the evaporator tube bundle where it evaporates. In the process, heat is absorbed from the chilled water circulating through the bundle. The compressor then pulls the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator. The compressor is then tasked with pumping the refrigerant vapor to the condenser, which increases temperature and pressure. The refrigerant condenses when it’s in the condenser tubes, releasing its internal heat to the air or cooling water. The high-pressure liquid then moves through the expansion device and into the evaporator; in the process the refrigerant pressure is reduced along with the temperature. To complete the continuous cycle, the refrigerant flows back over the chilled water coils and absorbs more heat.

One of the advantages of air cooled chillers is that they are self-contained units. They do not require a separate water cooling tower or water source like water-cooled chillers do. This makes them ideal for small to mid-sized buildings where space is limited. They are also easily to install and maintain since they do not require additional equipment.

Compared to Water Cooled Chillers

Water cooled chillers are another type of industrial chiller used in cooling systems. These chillers use water as a coolant instead of air. Water cooled chillers require a separate water cooling tower to cool the water before it is circulated back to the chiller. This makes water cooled chillers ideal for larger buildings or industrial applications where more cooling capacity is required. When your ambient temperature is very high above 45℃ ,which is a ideal chiller for your application. The disadvantage to water-cooled chillers is that they are more cumbersome to install and maintain due to the additional equipment required.But they are long-lasting, quiet, and boast similar energy-efficiency properties as the air-cooled chillers.

Chiller Types

Air cooled chillers come in various types, each with unique features and applications. The most common types include:

- Scroll chillers - These chillers are efficient and cost-effective with Panasonic and Danfoss scroll compressors, making them ideal for small to medium-sized applications from 1/2ton to 60 ton cooling capacity.

- Screw chillers - These chillers are ideal for large buildings and industrial applications due to their high cooling capacity above 30 ton to 200 Ton cooling capacity ,which with Hanbell and Bitzer screw compressor.

-Stationary air-cooled chillers: Chillers that does not include a water pump or water tank.These are used when excess heat is not an issue.

-Portable air-cooled chillers: Portable chillers are designed to a unique design configuration of a self-contained chiller system, not to its mobility.They combine all necessary components including – the refrigeration circuit, full diagnostic touch screen controllers and electrics, process pump, a reservoir tank and reservoir all within a single unit .These portable air cooled chiller units are portable and just as functional as stationary chillers.