CHOOSING A CHILLER: 5 FACTORS TO CONSIDER

28 Oct.,2024

 

CHOOSING A CHILLER: 5 FACTORS TO CONSIDER

CHOOSING A CHILLER: 5 FACTORS TO CONSIDER

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When it comes to chillers, figuring out where to start is the tricky part. Air-cooled or water-cooled? Used or new? What size do you need? The experts at Cold Shot Chillers cover all of these questions and more in today&#;s article.       

What Are Industrial Chillers?

An industrial chiller is a refrigeration system that keeps equipment and materials cool, allowing operations to run smoothly. Air Conditioners dehumidify air while water chiller systems cool down fluids that can be used to condition spaces or cool processes, simply by removing heat. However, these units are not &#;cooling&#; or &#;chilling&#; anything; they simply remove heat.

Factors to Consider for Your Chiller Choice

There are a few general rules of thumb to keep in mind when selecting a new cooling system. Keep reading to gain a better understanding of the different chiller types available on the market.

1. Size

Size is one of the biggest factors to consider when buying a chiller. Selecting a correctly sized chiller is paramount. A chiller that is too small won&#;t properly cool your equipment or materials. On the other hand, a chiller that is too large will work just fine, but providing excess capacity will over time fail prematurely due to short cycling. In addition, you&#;ve spent more money than you needed to. So how do you know what size chiller you need?

Industrial chillers come in a variety of sizes, ranging from ¼ ton to thousands of tons in capacity. We recommend you use a chiller size calculator to determine what size chiller you need for your application. Below are some examples of chiller sizes based on industry standards.

  • Medical Chillers &#; 7 ½ ton and 5-ton chillers; or 12 ½ and 15-ton chillers for cooling multiple medical devices simultaneously
  • Welding Chillers &#; it&#;s advised to have at least 1-ton of chilling capacity for 100KVA of welder capacity
  • Winery Chillers &#; typically, a 2-ton air cooled chiller is sufficient for most winery applications
  • Waterjet Cutting Chillers &#; common sizes are 2 and 3 ton
  • Hydroponic Chillers &#; sizes generally range from 1.5 to 100 tons
  • Flower Chiller &#; sizes range typically from 2-100 tons

Keep in mind that these sizes are only based on industry standards. Manufacturers like Cold Shot Chillers can design and build custom units of virtually any size. We highly recommend using a chiller sizing tool with exact measurements for the most accurate estimation. You can also reach out to our experienced team for additional help with sizing requirements or general questions.

2. Application

Chillers have various applications for all types of industries. For example, they are used for medical applications such as radiotherapy, PET scans, laboratory operations, and even blood bank refrigeration. In addition, MRI chillers and CT chillers are used frequently in the healthcare sector.

Food processing chillers serve a variety of applications in the food and beverage industry. Depending on your specific setting, you can choose from bakery chillers, winery glycol chillers, brewery glycol chillers, dairy milk chillers, and even commercial yogurt machine chillers.

Metal finishing chillers can be beneficial for paint and powder coating, anodizing, die casting cooling, furnace cooling, quench cooling, and more.

Explosion-proof chillers are commonly used in chemical processing plants, coal plants, oil and gas refineries, and other work environments that interact with flammable gases and vapors.

Cold Shot Chillers offers additional industry-specific chiller types, including laser chillers, plastic processing chillers, government and municipal chillers, welding chillers, and more. 

3. Type

Industrial chillers can be categorized in a few different ways. Let&#;s take a look at five types of chiller classifications.

  • Air Cooled Chillers &#; Air-cooled systems are generally cheaper than water-cooled chillers. However, they tend to release significant amounts of heat, so these chillers are best-suited for facilities where heat is not an issue.
  • Water Cooled Chillers &#; Water chillers are typically quieter and more efficient than air-cooled chillers. Therefore, they are suitable for commercial-scale and small-scale facilities.
  • Portable Chillers &#; In this case, the term &#;portable&#; does not refer to the mobility of the chiller. Instead, it means that a chiller contains all the system&#;s basic components in a single footprint.
  • Stationary Chillers &#; Chillers that are &#;stationary&#; do not include a tank or pump. Instead, they are stand-alone units that must be connected to a reservoir and pump to function.
  • Central Chillers &#; These chillers are used to cool several processes. They can have a portable or stationary configuration, and they can be air-cooled or water-cooled.

4. Pricing

Industrial chillers can range in price anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. As mentioned before, water chillers are typically more expensive than air-cooled chillers. In addition, different chiller manufacturers all design and price their systems uniquely, so make sure to carefully compare prices and weigh your options before making a purchase.

5. Manufacturer

Always familiarize yourself with the manufacturer and their policies ahead of time. Ask the following questions and more before choosing a chiller:

  • Do they offer a chiller warranty?
  • What&#;s the turnaround time?
  • How are new chillers tested?
  • Do they offer chiller accessories and tools?
  • How is the chiller prepped for shipment? 
  • Has the company been around for a while? The longer a company has been in business chances are good the company is reputable and trustworthy.
  • Does the chiller design use any proprietary components? That replacement part might carry a high price tag since these types of parts are generally used to control the chiller. Over time these items become obsolete and no longer supported.
  • How easy is it to reach a live person? Can you get technical and commercial issues resolved over the quickly?
  • Has the chiller manufacturer built a chiller handling the same type of application or something similar?
  • Does the chiller company make it easy to do business with? Can you discuss your application with a knowledgeable technical representative? Can you get a quote issued for your project quickly? Does the submittal information include everything you need about the chiller you are considering?
  • Deal directly with the manufacturer to cut out the middleman. This will alleviate any confusion on how your chiller should be configured and possibly save some time and money.

Looking to buy a new or used chiller? Look no further! Cold Shot Chillers is a Houston-based industrial chiller manufacturer with decades of industry experience.

Finding the Right Chiller for Your Company

We hope that you&#;ve learned some valuable information here that will help you make the best purchase. We&#;re confident that we can find a solution for you, no matter what you&#;re looking for!

Contact Cold Shot Chillers today or call us at 1.800.473. to learn more about our selection of industrial water chillers.

Things You Should Know Before Renting or Buying a Chiller

Chiller Rentals By CTCA&#;s skid-mounted chillers are always ready for 24/7 emergency delivery and installation.

Whether you&#;re considering renting or buying a chiller, there are several factors you should consider before taking the first step to ensure you receive the right cooling level the first time around. In this article, we&#;ll be answering the 4 most frequently asked questions regarding renting or buying chiller units.

Table of Contents

What is the difference between HVAC and chiller?

What are the different types of chillers?

Which type of chiller is best?

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How much do chillers cost?

What is the difference between HVAC and chiller?

HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. It is an encompassing set of technologies and solutions geared toward delivering optimal levels of heat, ventilation, and cooling needed by residents, businesses, and organizations. Chillers are a subset of HVAC; more specifically, chillers are one of the technologies falling under the AC part of HVAC.

When you hear the term &#;AC, the first thing that might come to mind is window-type and split-type A/C units that are typically used to cool rooms. In a way, chillers are similar to these units since both solutions are designed to cool a particular area. However, there are some key differences in the purpose, size, and capacity of chiller units from their standard household counterparts.

Chillers are typically used for high-volume applications and industrial settings like hospitals, refineries, and power stations where a constant level of cooling is required over a large area. Considering their purpose, they&#;re much bigger in size compared to typical A/C units and can bring more than 1,000 tons of cooling power, depending on the configuration. Household A/C units are usually limited in their ability to cool below 16°C, but chillers are designed to cool an area to levels below 16°C when needed. Simply put, chillers are one of many HVAC technologies which are specially designed for high-volume applications and industrial settings.

What are the different types of chillers?

There are 2 main types of chillers you should know about: Air-cooled chillers and water-cooled chillers.

Both chillers share the same method and mechanics of cooling, which involves the use of vapor compression. The key difference is that the water-cooled chillers use a cooling tower to remove unwanted heat, while air-cooled chillers use fans for heat dissipation

Air-Cooled Chiller

Air-cooled chillers use air to remove the unwanted heat through the process of fanning the heat moving along the open tubes of the condenser.

Air-cooled chillers are the best option when the area to be cooled has limited space or doesn&#;t have access to continuous clean water. These chillers have lower cooling efficiency than their water-cooled counterparts, but they are quick and easy to install and cheaper than water-cooled units.

Water-Cooled Chiller

Water-Cooled chillers use water to remove unwanted heat through the process of forcing water through the condenser&#;s tubes and dissipating the heat through a cooling tower.

Because water-cooled chillers use a cooling tower, this type of chiller offers a higher efficiency rating compared to its air-cooled counterpart. However, these units require additional components like condenser water pumps and make-up water pumps on top of the existing cooling tower, which increases the overall cost of these chillers.

Which type of chiller is best?

The best type of chiller is one that gets you the cooling level you need without exceeding your ideal installation and operating costs.

Both air-cooled and water-cooled chillers are better suited to some situations than others, which is why they both exist and are both widely used today. Which solution is best for your situation will depend on a number of factors. For example, if you&#;re in an area with no continuous clean water supply or if the area&#;s water supply costs significantly more than electricity, an air-cooled chiller will likely be a better fit and help you better control costs.

While your decision-making process for the best chiller type for your unique situation may seem complex, knowing some key differentiating factors can help simplify your decision. To help, we&#;ve listed the pros and cons of each type of chiller below.

Air-Cooled Chiller

Pros

  • Great for small and medium-sized businesses with limited space
  • Lower installation and maintenance cost
  • Quick and easy to install
  • Good with outdoor installation and in areas where access to the water supply may be limited
  • Heat ejected from the unit can be repurposed to provide heating for the industrial area during cooler periods

Cons

  • Sensitive to the environment, making it more vulnerable to blockages and recirculation problems
  • Shorter unit lifespan than water-cooled chillers
  • Require more processing energy
  • The fanning process makes it noisier than water-cooled chillers

Water-Cooled Chiller

Pros

  • Works well for large spaces, even with extreme environmental temperature fluctuations
  • More efficient and uses less energy than air-cooled chillers
  • For long-term use or purchases, these units last longer than air-cooled chillers
  • Quieter cooling operation

Cons

  • More expensive to install and maintain due to the number of components required like pumps, towers, and tanks
  • Not suitable for areas with clean water sourcing problems
  • Required to undergo routine condenser water treatment to avoid the formation of sediments

How much do Chillers Cost?

Many reputable chiller manufacturers, including Trane, Carrier, and York Chillers, do not disclose chiller pricing on their websites. However, detailed research can reveal an approximate price range, depending on the type and size of your chiller unit.

Mark Stehney, a writer for CSE Magazine, developed and published a price comparison between air-cooled and water-cooled chillers. His research showed that a 200-ton air-cooled chiller costs approximately $250,000, while a 200-ton water-cooled chiller can run approximately $340,000. These cost approximations were based on previous-year pricing and accounted for a 3% annual inflation rate.

The $90,000 difference between air-cooled and water-cooled chillers can be attributed to the difference in unit structure and needed accessories. As previously mentioned, air-cooled chillers don&#;t require a cooling tower, condenser water pump, condenser pipe, or other controls and accessories.

However, this isn&#;t the only cost consideration when comparing chiller prices; the same report also showed that 200-ton air-cooled chillers cost about twice ($122,400) the yearly energy costs of 200-ton water-cooled chillers ($69,360). To calculate the true cost of ownership, you should evaluate a number of factors, including installation costs, how long you plan to own and operate your chiller, and any ancillary costs your company may incur.

Considering the significant amount of money and considerations involved, it&#;s best to test out your ideal solution first by renting a chiller. By using a chiller rentals, you can easily gauge which type of chiller is best for you at a fraction of the total cost. For short-term use, you may save tens of thousands of dollars vs. purchasing a unit directly. With a rental, you&#;ll incur less risk and have a maximum cooling capacity for your business!

Get Best Chiller Rental For Your Business

You don&#;t have to spend $250,000 or more just to get your own chiller. Instead, you can easily rent one with Chiller Rentals By CTCA and have it delivered and installed in 24 hours!

Trusted for 44 years, Chiller Rentals By CTCA offers nationwide portable chiller delivery, installation, and support 24/7, 365 days a year. Our chiller experts are always available to help you get the best chiller rental for your situation and your budget, saving you time and money.

Call us anytime at 1 (866) 880- or contact us so our chiller experts can assist with your cooling problems today

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