THE FOUR ELEMENTS: WATER IV - CHILLED WATER

Avatars,

This is one of those episodes where you don't get a recap of the Avatar series, as I have many technical concepts to handle in this section.?

Chilled water is water deliberately made colder, often with mechanical refrigerator (chiller) systems, to be used in some parts of an industrial system. For a few examples, that system could be a chemical process, drinking water, or part of a building HVAC system for local temperature adjustment.

Chilled water is deliberately made colder, primarily for cooling systems. Cooling or process water is often at room temperature and removes heat from machinery in a heat exchange mechanism. The difference is in their use and the temperature at which they operate.?

Chilled water is primarily used for space cooling and dehumidification in HVAC systems while cooling water is used to remove heat from industrial equipment and processes. Chilled water operates at lower temperatures and is circulated through air handling units. In comparison, cooling water operates at higher temperatures and dissipates heat from equipment through cooling towers or heat exchangers.

Differences between Chilled Water and Cooling Water?

Chilled water systems often use cooling systems and rely on Air handling units. They have five major components.?

1. Chiller
2. Cooling Tower
3. Air Handling Units?
4. Condensed Water Pump
5. Chilled Water Pump

1. Chiller

The chiller is the core of the chilled water system. It removes heat from the water, thereby cooling it. There are two primary types of chillers:

• Water-cooled Chillers: These use water from a cooling tower to cool the refrigerant.
• Air-cooled Chillers: These utilise ambient air to chill the refrigerant.

The chilled water produced is then circulated throughout the building to provide cooling.

2. Cooling Tower

This heat-dissipating device expels waste heat into the atmosphere, reducing the temperature of a water stream. Cooling towers are used to drop the condenser water temperature from the chiller. The cooled water is then recirculated to the chiller to absorb more heat. There are various types of cooling towers, including:

• Open Circuit Cooling Towers: These are where water is cooled by direct contact with air.
• Closed Circuit Cooling Towers: Where the water is cooled indirectly via a heat exchanger

3. Air Handling Units (AHUs)

Air handling units (AHUs) distribute chilled air throughout the building. They consist of a fan, cooling coil, and filters. The chilled water flows through the temperature-dropping coil, absorbing heat from the air passing over it. The now-cooled air is then distributed to various parts of the building. AHUs can be customised for specific needs, like humidity control and air quality improvement.

4. Condenser Water Pump

The condenser water pump circulates water between the chiller and the cooling tower. This pump ensures that warm water from the chiller is transported to the cooling tower, where it can be cooled before returning to the chiller. The efficiency of this pump is vital for the chilled water system's overall performance.

5. Chilled Water Pump

The chilled water pump helps maintain the desired temperature and ensures the system's efficiency. It circulates chilled water from the chiller to the air handling units and back, providing a consistent chilled water flow throughout the building for effective cooling. This responsibility gives you a sense of control over the system's performance.

The video below illustrates the working principle of chilled water systems.

This video shows that chilled water is integral to industrial cooling and ventilation systems, and its importance cannot be overemphasized.

Avatars,?

In addition to seeing your crushes, chilled water systems are another source of chills. Mastering their use, in addition to ventilation, is crucial to building efficient systems in industries. You are the master of these elements, and I look forward to what you will do.

REFERENCES

Chilled water systems: What are they and how do they work? (2022, August 29). TCW Website. https://www.mytcwgroup.com/post/chilled-water-systems-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work

What is the meaning of chilled water? Is it different from normal water or boiled water? (n.d.). Quora. https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-meaning-of-chilled-water-Is-it-different-from-normal-water-or-boiled-water

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, July 8). Chilled water. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilled_water

Water chiller: What is it? How does it work? Types, uses. (n.d.). IQS Directory. https://www.iqsdirectory.com/articles/chiller/water-chiller.html

SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc. (2024, March 22). What is a cooling tower? SPX cooling towers. SPX Cooling Technologies. https://spxcooling.com/coolingtowers/

What is an air handling unit? - Panasonic. (n.d.). Panasonic. https://www.panasonic.com/global/hvac/products/ahu.html

Sinteco Impianti. (2022, February 22). AHU ★ - Sinteco. Sinteco. https://www.sinteco.com/products/ahu-%E2%98%85/

Zebra Learnings. (2023, October 20). Chiller Plant Working Principle by Truck Experiment | Animation | HVAC | [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEzCvjQ2sNY