HVAC Technologies: Basics for Refrigerant Chillers
Posted on Tue, May 10, 2011
By Larry Butz, GEA Consulting
"Chillers" is a term very familiar to anyone associated with the HVAC or Buildings industries. Widely used in all types of buildings..everyone knows what a chiller is?....Right?
There are scroll chillers, screw chillers, centrifugal chillers, air cooled chillers, water cooled chillers, and so on. Why do some use flat plate heat exchangers, others shell and tube heat exchangers...why dry evaporators on some and flooded on others?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? What are the performance differences and why are so many different refrigerants used?
A great little article appeard in ES (Engineered Systems) not too long ago that did an excellent job at deciphering and explaining the complex range of products called chillers, the differences in their performance and how to use these differences advantageously. You'll find nice straight forward explanations of the different components and technologies. Take a few minutes to take a refresher course in Chillers.
Our complements to Vincent Sakraida, P.E., who authored the article titled "Basics for Refrigerant Chillers".