Calculate chiller capacity (tons) for process cooling load

Solution ID: case4397

Last
07/12/2006
Modified:
Question
or Calculate chiller capacity (tons) for process cooling load
Problem:
Question
or How do I calculate chiller capacity for a process cooling load?
Problem:
Products
and Process cooling
Facts:
Resolutio Many industrial processes requires cooling. For example, in a plastic injection molding application, cool fluid
n: is circulated through a jacket around the plastic mold to cool the mold.

Calculating the required cooling capacity is dependent on the mass flow rate and specific heat of the fluid,
and the change in temperature of the fluid during the cooling process. Generically, the following equation is
used:

where,
specific heat is in units of Btu/lb-°F
specific gravity = density of the fluid / density of water
fluid flow rate is in units of gallons/minute (gpm)
∆T = fluid temperature leaving process - fluid temperature entering process (°F)

For water, the specific heat is 1.0 Btu/lb-°F and the specific gravity is 1.0. so the equation is simplified to:

If another fluid is used, the specific heat and the specific gravity of the specific fluid must be used in the
equation.

Example #1 (water)
The process requires 200 gpm of 50°F water, and the water returns from the process at 65°F.

Example #2 (50% ethylene glycol at 177.5°F)

The solution used to cool a process is a mixture consisting of 50% water and 50% ethylene glycol. The
process requires 200 gpm of this fluid at 170°F, and the fluid returns from the process at 185°F.

The properties of a fluid change with temperature. Therefore, the first step is to determine the specific heat
and specific gravity of the 50% ethylene glycol solution at an average temperature of 177.5°F.

Using the Trane Applications Toolbox software (available under the "Trane/All Applications" portion of the
Start Menu), the specific heat is found to be 0.856 Btu/lb-°F, and the specific gravity is 1.026.
Example #3 (50% ethylene glycol at 17.5°F)
This same process requires 200 gpm of the 50% ethylene glycol solution at 10°F, and returns the fluid at
25°F. At an average fluid temperature of 17.5°F, the specific heat is found to be 0.746 Btu/lb-°F, and the
specific gravity is 1.078.

So, in addition to the fluid flow rate and temperature difference, the fluid properties are required in order to
determine required cooling capacity. If the fluid properties are not available in the Trane Applications
Toolbox, the owner of the industrial process may be able to help determine them. Another possible source of
fluid properties is Lange's Handbook of Chemistry.

Related cases:
System configuration for temperature outside the chiller's operating range
System configuration for flow outside the chiller's operating range