What is a Chiller?

ECT Process that removes heat from one element (water/glycol/air) and deposits into another (ambient air or water). The standard design is a system that cools 60° F water (water/glycol, or air) to 50° F and deposits the heat into the ambient air at 95° F (or water at 85° F).

The function of controlling the temperature in manufacturing and process equipment can be achieved in four ways - 1) a cooling tower that supplies water at 85° F or higher and by using chillers that supply water at 60° F or lower.

Evaporator - cools the water, water/glycol or air by transferring the heat to a refrigerant which is turned into a gas. Compressor - takes this gas and increases its pressure so that ambient air or water can remove the heat.

Condenser - rejects heat gained by the gas using ambient air or cooling tower water to condense the gas back to a liquid for use again by the evaporator.

Holding Tank - holds the circulating coolant, usually water (can be water/glycol), tank is sized large enough to prevent turbulent flow in tank causing pump cavitation.

Pump - circulates coolant from the holding tank to the evaporator and from the evaporator to the machine or process being cooled and back to the tank.

Control Panel - houses temperature controller, compressor contactor, pump starter, 3-phase fuses, control transformer, safety controls, run and fail lights.