Centrifugal Chiller Design

To give you an idea of how a centrifugal chiller should be designed and what you can expect from our design services, let us first start by knowing its basic refrigeration cycle. Basically, a centrifugal chiller makes use of the vapor compression cycle as a means of chilling water. It then rejects the heat it has gathered from the chilled water along with the heat gathered from the compressor to the water loop which is cooled by a cooling tower.

A centrifugal chiller normally contains four different components which are described below:

• Evaporator

The evaporator is responsible for removing heat from the chilled water, lowering its temperature as a result. The removed heat is then used for boiling the refrigerant and changing it from liquid to gas.

• Compressor

The compressor consists of a centrifugal compressor and a prime mover. The centrifugal compressor works pretty much like a centrifugal water pump by raising the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant, a process achieved through the conversion of kinetic energy to pressure.

• Condensor

The condenser is the complete opposite of evaporator in the sense that it condenses refrigerant from gas to liquid. However, just like the evaporator, it’s also often a shell and tube heat exchanger. Basically, heat raises the cooling water’s temperature, likewise known as condenser water. Afterward, it then carries heat to the cooling tower where it gets rejected outside.

• Expansion Device

Once the refrigerant is in its liquid form, it will then go through an expansion device whose task is to reduce pressure. It can be a simple system made of an orifice plate or a complex one such as an electronic modulating expansion valve.

Some high-performance centrifugal chillers use either an electronic modulating expansion valve or a thermal expansion valve for excellent modulation alongside a wide range of temperature conditions and capacity. Here at NYE, we make sure that all of the above components are taken into consideration. Efficiency, accuracy, and attention to detail are what we promise.

Features of a Highly Efficient Chiller Design

To make sure we can create centrifugal chiller designs that are centered around high efficiency not just in terms of performance but also in overall electrical costs, we have to make sure that the following features are put in place:

• Compact Design

A significantly lightweight and compact centrifugal chiller design allows you to save a lot of space in your facility. Aside from that, it also makes transport and replacement a lot easier. By attaching downsized components, such as the economizer, we are able to achieve a highly compact but fully functional and highly-efficient chiller. Also, the fact that it’s modular means you can transport parts of the chiller separately even across tight spaces.

• Two-stage Compressor

Our designs also feature a two-stage compressing cycle which dramatically improves a chiller’s overall energy efficiency. It can also significantly reduce overall operational costs compared to the previous one-stage system. Lastly, this design is geared toward environmental conservation by reducing CO2 emission.

• Easy and Optimized Modular Installation

A modular design doesn’t just let you transport each module of your centrifugal chiller separately. It also makes for an easier and quicker installation. You can control module-by-module operation by means of several combination options. As a result, you can maximize partial load efficiency. Moreover, the presence of various installation options means you can customize the installation in accordance with your space and cooling demands.

• Optimized Central Control

We also make sure that our designs feature optimized central control. This allows you to use various control solutions to monitor your entire cooling system with ease. Aside from that, it also lets you control and manage your system anytime and anywhere you want.

• Improved Partial Load Efficiency

Our design incorporates precision control which can significantly improve the partial load efficiency of your centrifugal chiller. This results in a 54% increase in overall partial load efficiency compared to other two-stage models which run at a fixed speed. As a result, you can enjoy even more savings on your electrical costs.

• Low-Noise Operation

By simplifying the compressor’s structure, we are able to reduce noise from our chiller designs by up to 74 dB. This makes them applicable for use in areas that require low noise and vibration.

• Oil-Free Piping Structure

Other than the traditional centrifugal chiller system, we also create designs for oil-free chillers. Compared to traditional chillers, an oil-free system has a simplified piping structure which is made possible by getting rid of any oil-related parts. This means that it’s no longer necessary to replace oil or filters, allowing you to save more time and money.

• Magnetic and Air Bearing Technologies

The magnetic bearing technology can significantly improve a chiller’s energy efficiency and overall lubrication loss. The air bearing technology, on the other hand, reduces friction loss along with improved overall efficiency. As it’s such an advanced technology, it's often used in aircraft applications and other industries.

Our centrifugal chiller designs at NY Engineers provide an excellent solution in terms of energy efficiency, environmental protection, and business cost reduction.

From the various manufacturing plants and industries to hospitals, food supplies, sports facilities, and more, our centrifugal chiller designs play an important role in supplying chilled water while maintaining a constant temperature at all times.

Whether you have a business facility, a clinic, school, data center, or a high rise establishment, our designs will certainly fit your needs. Here are the things you can expect from them:

• Real-world efficiency – our chiller designs are intended for maximum real-world efficiency in which the majority of the cooling season is spent at off-design conditions.
• Massive energy savings – with optimized systems and the application of various technologies, you can expect a massive reduction in your energy consumption, reaching up to as much as 30%!
• Environmental protection – our chiller designs use the R-134A which is an excellent refrigerant used widely in a lot of applications. It’s very efficient particularly in above-zero and mid-range temperatures. Aside from that, it also features zero ozone-depletion potential as well as a very low global-warming potential.
• Easy maintenance and operation – our designs feature easy maintenance and operation. There’s no need to maintain them regularly, and you can even enjoy optimum performance and operation.
• Quick Start feature – in the event of an unexpected power failure, our chiller designs have the Quick Start feature which allows the chiller to restart within 25 seconds as soon as emergency power is started.

Considerations for Your Chiller Design

In order to have a comprehensive design, we provide some tips that will help assess what you need for your centrifugal chiller.

• Plan ahead of time so you can evaluate various chiller options and systems, allowing you to decide on a comprehensive chilling system which can suit your budget and the needs of your facility.
• There is a wide range of chillers out there, each with their own technologies and efficiency rating. Ideally, you want to compare the offers of each manufacturer to the guidelines which have been established by organizations like ASHRAE and more.
• Only install chillers that you need. You have to decide on the number of chillers you want in your facility and its overall size. Determine whether you want more cooling or not. Keep in mind that if you have more cooling than you need, it will only lead to higher equipment costs and monthly electrical bills.
• If your facility requires multiple chiller installations, make sure to opt for different-sized machines. Pick a small chiller for light loads and larger ones for larger loads. This way, you’ll be able to achieve high efficiency most of the time. Only add extra chillers when your current chillers are running at near full capacity.
• Make sure a chiller has a VSD (variable speed drive) in order to maximize overall part-load efficiency. Centrifugal chillers with a variable speed drive are common in the market. You can even have a custom-manufactured system using our designs. Since variable-speed centrifugal chillers are considerably better compared to their constant-speed counterparts, you’ll be able to enjoy excellent efficiency at all times. However, some chiller manufacturers are fairly new to the VSD market, so you might want to conduct additional research first.
• Use virtual simulations in order to maximize your chiller system’s efficiency. The interaction of the chiller with its components, mainly the condenser, cooling tower fans, and internal cooling loads can affect its overall efficiency. The problem is, it’s quite difficult to analyze them without the help of virtual simulations which can be done on a computer. Fortunately, we at NY Engineers can also help you in that aspect. Before we give you the final design, we make sure to provide you with a 3D presentation and simulation so you can know how your chiller will work in your facility under various conditions. This way, you can choose which components should go into your chiller and even determine efficient operation techniques.
• Pick a chiller which can maintain its efficiency over the entire year. Don’t choose one that’s only efficient during peak loads as it won’t give you the most energy and cost-efficient operation over a year. Instead, go for chillers that will continue running in their utmost efficiency under part-loads conditions they’ll likely experience.

Why Choose Us?

For your centrifugal chiller design needs, and any other designing needs for your facility, we at NY Engineers are here to help. We are a team of skilled and experienced professionals in the field of MEP (manufacturing, engineering, and plumbing) design.

Our years of experience in the industry allows us to create highly efficient and foolproof designs using a number of valuable tools like AutoCAD and Revit. By working with us, you can expect high-quality and efficient designs for your facility.