Air-Cooled Chiller VS Water-Cooled Chiller

2022/08/08 ClassificationIndustry News 194

Air-Cooled Chiller VS Water-Cooled Chiller

Air-cooled chillers and water-cooled chillers are the two most common industrial chillers. Some people think air-cooled chillers are better, while others think water-cooled chillers are better. So today we will analyze the main performance of the chiller to analyze the difference between the air-cooled chiller and the water-cooled chiller.

First, the basic configuration of the device

The basic configuration of the industrial chiller: single-chip control system, built-in compressor drier filter and expansion valve, maintenance hand valve interface and other devices, ensure the reliable and safe operation of the machine, and facilitate later maintenance.

The basic supporting equipment of air-cooled chiller is chilled water pump separator and water collector, while water-cooled chiller needs special equipment room cooling tower water collector and water separator. Some, the air-cooled chiller of the same power is cheaper than the water-cooled chiller equipment.

air cooled chiller vs water cooled chiller

Second, in terms of the use environment

Since the air-cooled chiller does not need to install a cooling water tower, it is more suitable for environments with poor impurities, which may easily lead to high noise of the equipment.

The water-cooled chiller has low noise and is suitable for environments with better water quality due to the need to install a cooling water tower. If the water quality is poor, it is easy to block the water channel of the machine, resulting in greater economic losses.

Third, in terms of refrigeration technology

Since the heat exchange efficiency of water is much greater than that of air, the energy efficiency of water-cooled chillers is 300 to 500 kcal/h higher than that of air-cooled chillers.

Fourth, in terms of power consumption

The overall power consumption of water-cooled chillers (including the power consumption of cooling water pumps and cooling tower fans) is about 25% lower than that of air-cooled chillers.

Because the heat transfer temperature difference of the condenser of the water-cooled chiller is generally 4℃~8℃, and the heat transfer temperature difference of the air-cooled chiller is generally 8℃~15℃, under the same outdoor ambient temperature, the water temperature of the cooling circulating water is higher than The outside air temperature is low. Therefore, the power consumption of the air-cooled chiller equipment is larger than that of the water-cooled chiller equipment under the same cooling capacity.

Fifth, in terms of heat dissipation

The air-cooled chiller relies on the electric fan on the top for heat dissipation, and has requirements for the environment, such as ventilation, humidity, temperature not higher than 40°C, air pH, etc., while the water-cooled chiller needs to use the water tower to disperse water for heat dissipation.

Sixth, in terms of refrigeration technology

There are four universal wheels at the bottom of the air-cooled chiller, which can be moved easily and reduce the floor space. The water-cooled chiller needs to be connected to a cooling tower before it can be used. Therefore, the water-cooled chiller occupies a large area, and a machine room needs to be provided, and the equipment must be placed indoors.

Seventh, in terms of cleaning and maintenance

The shell-and-tube condenser used in the water-cooled chiller has a small impact on the heat exchange efficiency when the dirt accumulates within a certain range, so the performance of the equipment decreases with the generation of dirt. The cleaning cycle is long, and the relative maintenance cost will be low. However, the heat exchange efficiency of the finned condenser used in the air-cooled chiller is greatly affected by the accumulation of dust and dirt. The dust filter grid must be installed before the cooling finned tube, and it needs to be cleaned frequently.

Eighth, in terms of maintenance

Due to the high operating pressure of the air-cooled chiller, it is generally installed outdoors, and the operating environment is relatively harsh, and the maintenance and reliability of the equipment are not as good as the water-cooled chiller. If the machine has problems with alarm or convenient temperature control, it is necessary to send an engineer to the door to check, and quote and repair according to the on-site situation, so the maintenance cost of water-cooled chiller and air-cooled chiller also depends on the specific situation.

Both air-cooled chillers and water-cooled chillers are more choices in the industrial refrigeration industry. If you actually buy a chiller in a factory, you still need to use different environments, temperature control ranges, required cooling capacity, heat dissipation, etc. All factors to consider whether to choose an air-cooled chiller or a water-cooled chiller.

All in all, these two types of chillers have their own characteristics. Small-sized chillers can be considered as air-cooled chillers, which are economical and easy to install. Large-scale chillers can be considered water-cooled chillers, which have good heat dissipation effect, stable functions and lower maintenance costs.

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