Chillers are used in industries for dealing with high temperatures. The machine aids in removing the heat from a liquid coolant via various refrigerant cycles. The cool liquid is sent through the heat exchanger for cooling equipment. The refrigerant then creates waste heat that is exhausted in the ambience or recovered for heating purposes. However, if this is not how things are going with your air-cooled chiller or water-cooled chiller and the machinery is not cooling efficiently, it could be because something is wrong with the unit. Here is a list of a few faults that might be creating a problem.
- High-pressure discharge:
It is common for water-cooled chillers to have problems with high water discharge. It usually occurs because of the bad water treatment regime. When minerals or dirt gets absorbed by the condenser water loops, it clogs the pipe or heat exchanger. This insulates the internal surfaces that prevent the machine from transferring the rated thermal energy.
With air-cooled chillers, the external surface of the condenser gets covered in dust. So, it would help if you cooled the fins and tubes regularly using light brushes and comb fins. Another issue you may face is reduced airflow because the debris has blocked the condenser and fans. In this case, you should visually inspect and clean the machine parts if required.
- Low-pressure discharge:
In some cases, the suction valve gets partially closed, so you should check if there is a low-pressure discharge. It might happen because of refrigerant undercharge, in which case you will have to fill it up. Another issue that could lead to this is the low ambient air temperature. If this is what s wrong, there is not much you can do. Lastly, in the case of low-pressure discharge, you should also see whether the evaporator is obstructed or dirty.
- Low suction pressure:
It could happen because the system has a low refrigerant charge. In this case, you should check and top up if needed. Another reason for low suction pressure is a blocked expansion valve. This requires cleaning and regular maintenance. Reduced flow into the evaporator is again not ideal for suction pressure. So, it would be helpful to inspect the bypass valves and pumps. While at it, also remember to check the filter drier and strainer. If something is wrong, replace them immediately.
- High suction pressure:
If your chiller suction line displays high suction pressure warning, you must check three things. First, see if the cooling load is too much for the chiller to handle. If possible, reduce it or spread it over to other chillers. Another reason responsible for this malfunction could be overfeeding refrigerant. In this case, you will have to replace the expansion valve after adjusting the superheat point. Lastly, remove some refrigerant if the suction pressure is high because the chiller is overcharged with refrigerant.
So, listed above are a few things that can go wrong with your chiller. And, fixing these issues can enhance your chiller’s performance.