Air Cooled Vs. Water Cooled Chillers

Air Cooled Chiller vs Water Cooled Chiller:-
Method of Condensation:-
• The main difference between air cooled chiller & water cooled chiller lies in the method of condensing of refrigerant.
• In air cooled chillers, air is used as a condensing medium to cool the refrigerant. In this, a fan is employed to blow the ambient air over the coil. Refrigerant condensing temperature depends on surface area of the condensing coil & airflow rate.
• Whereas in water cooled chillers, water acts as condensing medium. The capacity of condenser depends on the refrigerant condensing temperature.
Overall Cost:-
• Installation Cost: Cost is one of the important factors when deciding between air cooled or water cooled chillers. Initial installation cost is lower in air cooled chiller system due to elimination of cooling tower & condenser water pumps.
• Maintenance cost: Maintenance cost is also lower in air cooled chiller system because they do not require condenser water treatment, Condenser coil cleaning, cooling tower service, anti-freeze solutions & also there is no need of make-up water.
• Condenser Water Pump: In water cooled chillers, a pump is required to circulate the water in the system & then out of the chiller.
• Cooling Tower: Air cooled chillers eliminate the need of cooling tower & the associated maintenance. For water cooled chillers, cooling tower is a must have additional equipment.
• In freezing weather, cooling tower requires a heater & an indoor sump for safe operation.
• Operating Cost: However, operating cost generally favor water cooled chillers. This is because water cooled chillers produce lower condensing temperature than air cooled chillers.
• NOTE: Cost comparison has been done unit to unit only. This doesn’t include water treatment cost or any other related costs.
Water Availability:-
• Since air cooled chillers do not require water, they are preferred for locations where there is shortage of water or water is very expensive.
• Problem of Fouling/Scaling: In water cooled chillers, there is a problem of scaling caused due to hard water. This scaling directly affects the efficiency & performance of the chiller. So, in water cooled chillers, we have to supply pre-treated water to avoid scaling.
• Condenser Water Treatment: To eliminate the containment such as bacteria or algae, water cooled chillers need to treat condenser water every now & then.
Location:-
• Requirement of Anti-freeze Solution: In case of water cooled chillers, we need to mix anti-freeze solution to avoid the freezing of water inside the pipes & coils, during cold season.
• Whereas, air cooled chillers can operate below freezing without freeze protection issue.
• For applications where cooling is required year-round, air cooled chillers have a distinct advantage over water cooled chillers.
Efficiency/ Performance/ Capacity:-
• Also, water cooled chillers are more efficient than air cooled chillers because water cooled chillers condense at WBT whereas air cooled chillers condense at DBT & WBT is always lower than DBT.
• Air cooled chillers are available in the capacity range up to 500 tons, whereas, water cooled chillers are available up to 3000 tons. Customized water cooled chillers can go for more higher capacities.
• Life Span: Water cooled chillers last longer than air cooled chillers. It’s because water cooled chillers are generally installed indoors and so they operate at lower condenser fluid pressure. While air-cooled chillers operate outdoors, at higher condenser pressure.

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