Centrifugal Water Chillers

A Trane Air Conditioning Clinic

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Chilled
Water
System

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

absorption centrifugal

helical-rotary
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Centrifugal Water Chillers

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Centrifugal Water Chillers
period one
Components

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

components of a
Centrifugal Water Chiller
compressor
motor

condenser

starter
control
panel

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evaporator Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Compressor

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Impeller

blades

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Centrifugal Compressor

volute

diffuser
passage

impeller
passages

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centrifugal compressor
Energy Conversion
refrigerant
enters
diffuser
velocity

refrigerant
refrigerant enters volute
static pressure

enters impeller

path through compressor

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Multistage Compressor

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

 Condenser
refrigerant vapor

baffle

cooling
tower
water

tube liquid
© American Standard Inc. 1999 bundle refrigerant Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
expansion device
Orifice Plates

orifice plates
to
evaporator
H1

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expansion device
Orifice Plates

orifice plates
to
evaporator

H2

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

2-stage chiller
Economizer
refrigerant vapor
to second stage
of compression

liquid refrigerant
orifice to evaporator
liquid refrigerant
from condenser

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

3-stage chiller
Economizer
refrigerant vapor refrigerant vapor
to third stage to second stage
of compression of compression

liquid refrigerant
orifice to evaporator
liquid refrigerant
from condenser
orifice
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Evaporator
tube bundle

liquid
refrigerant

chilled
water
return
liquid
distributor eliminator orifice system
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Motor

motor
gear-drive
impeller
motor

impellers

direct-drive
gears
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Hermetic Motor Cooling
stator

rotor

liquid drain
© American Standard Inc. 1999
refrigerant Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Controls and Starter

starter
control
panel

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Starters
line power line power control power
wiring

starter

unit-mounted
control power
wiring

remote-mounted
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Centrifugal Water Chillers
period two
Refrigeration Cycle

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

 2-stage centrifugal chiller
Refrigeration Cycle
2-stage
compressor

economizer

evaporator condenser

expansion devices
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Pressure-Enthalpy (p-h) Chart

subcooled
liquid
pressure

mixture of
liquid and
vapor
5 psia A B superheated
[0.034 MPa] vapor

15.5 Btu/lb 92.4 Btu/lb

[201.0 kJ/kg] [380.4 kJ/kg]
© American Standard Inc. 1999 enthalpy Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
2-stage centrifugal chiller
Refrigeration Cycle

6 condenser
Pc 4
expansion
economizer 5
pressure

devices
8 2-stage
P1 7 3 2 compressor

Pe 9 1
evaporator

© American Standard Inc. 1999

enthalpy Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
2-stage centrifugal chiller
Refrigeration Cycle

6 condenser
Pc 4
expansion
economizer 5
pressure

devices
8 2-stage
P1 7 3 2 compressor

10
Pe 9 1
evaporator

C B enthalpy A
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
 Refrigerant Operating Pressures

HCFC-22

HFC-134a
pressure

HCFC-123
atmospheric
pressure

© American Standard Inc. 1999

temperature Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Low-Pressure Chillers

compressor
suction elbow

evaporator

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Purge System

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Purge Operation

purge tank
to chiller
vent line
purge
evaporator
coil

refrigerant
vapor from
condenser

filtration
canister
to condenser
© American Standard Inc. 1999
filter drier Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Centrifugal Water Chillers
period three
Compressor Capacity Control

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Inlet Vanes

inlet vanes
impeller

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Multistage Compressor
impellers

inlet vanes
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Impeller

R Vr

Vt

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Impeller Dynamics
Vr  refrigerant flow rate
Vr
R Vt  rotational speed × diameter
Vt
diameter
refrigerant
rotational flow rate
speed

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Compressor Unloading

Vr
R Vr
R
Vt Vt

full load part load

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Surge
Vr
R
Vr < static pressure
Vt

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Compressor Map

rg e 90
su
pressure difference

75

51 63
36
10 14 25 vane position
(degrees)

© American Standard Inc. 1999 refrigerant flow rate Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Operating Point
operating
point
pressure difference

© American Standard Inc. 1999 refrigerant flow rate Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
compressor map for a
2-Stage Compressor
operating
point

rg e 90
su
pressure difference

75

51 63
36
10 14 25 vane position
(degrees)

© American Standard Inc. 1999 refrigerant flow rate Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
compressor map for a
2-Stage Compressor

A
rg e 90
su
pressure difference

C B 75

51 63
36
10 14 25

unloading line

© American Standard Inc. 1999 refrigerant flow rate Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Adjustable-Frequency Drives
power consumption

inlet vanes only

AFD + inlet vanes

load
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Centrifugal Water Chillers
period four
Maintenance Considerations

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Maintenance Considerations
 Operating log
 Mechanical components
 Heat-transfer surfaces
 Fluid analysis

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

operating log
ASHRAE Guideline 3
 Chilled water inlet and outlet  Oil pressures, temperature, and
temperatures and pressures levels
 Chilled water flow  Addition of refrigerant
 Evaporator refrigerant
temperature and pressures
 Addition of oil
 Evaporator approach  Vibration levels
temperature
 Condenser water inlet and outlet
temperatures and pressures
 Condenser water flow
 Condenser refrigerant
temperature and pressures
 Condenser approach
temperature

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

maintenance considerations
Mechanical Components
 Required maintenance
 Compressor and motor: no maintenance required
 Controls: no maintenance or calibration required
 Recommended maintenance
 Visually inspect overall unit
 Inspect safety controls and electrical components
 Tighten electrical connections
 Check for leaks

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

maintenance considerations
Mechanical Components
 Other design-specific requirements
 Change oil when oil analysis dictates
 Replace oil filter periodically
 Replace filter drier periodically
 Clean oil strainers annually
 Check shaft alignment annually
 Check coupling annually
 Replace shaft seal every 2 to 4 years
 Compressor teardown inspection every 5 to 10 years

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

maintenance considerations
Heat Transfer Surfaces
 Recommended maintenance
 Use a qualified water treatment
specialist
 Clean condenser tubes as
needed
 Clean water-side strainers
 Test tubes every 3 years

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Fluid Analysis
 Oil analysis
 Conduct annual analysis to verify
system integrity
 Measure oil pressure drop to
determine if filter needs changing
 Measure charge
 Refrigerant charge
 Conduct analysis of refrigerant
 Inspect purge system

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Oil Analysis
 Why perform regular oil analysis?
 Helps reduce maintenance costs
 Detects problems without
compressor disassembly
 Extends service life of oil charge
 Reduces environmental problems
related to oil disposal
 Helps maintain compressor
efficiency and reliability
 Helps lower refrigerant emissions

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Centrifugal Water Chillers
period five
Application Considerations

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Condensing Temperature Control

C A
rg e 90
su
pressure difference

75
B

51 63
36
10 14 25 vane position
(degrees)
unloading line

© American Standard Inc. 1999 refrigerant flow rate Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
condensing temperature control
Cooling Tower Bypass

40°F
[4°C]
cooling tower
diverting
valve
bypass
65°F
55°F [18°C]
[13°C]
condenser

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

evaporator water flow
Constant or Variable Flow

chilled
water
pump
evaporator

variable-
speed
drive

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

variable evaporator water flow
Limitations
 Maintain minimum and maximum water flow
rates through the chiller evaporator
 Rate at which the evaporator water flow
changes must be kept below the
corresponding limit to:
 Maintain the chilled water set point control
 Keep the chiller on line
 Protect the chiller from damage

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Short Evaporator-Water Loops

load

chilled
water
pump
evaporator

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Short Evaporator-Water Loops

load

tank

chilled
water
pump
evaporator

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

 Heat Recovery
heat-recovery
condenser

cooling
tower
water

standard
condenser

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

 Heat-Recovery Chiller Options
heat-recovery auxiliary
(dual) condenser
condenser heat pump
 Second, full-size  Second, smaller size  No extra condenser
condenser condenser
 Large base heating loads or
 Large heating loads  Preheating loads continuous operation
 High hot water  Moderate hot water
temperatures temperatures
 High hot water temperatures
 Controlled  Uncontrolled
 Controlled
 Degrades chiller efficiency  Improves chiller efficiency  Chiller efficiency preserved

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Free Cooling
air-side strainer plate-and-frame
economizer
cycle heat exchanger
 Most efficient  Coldest water  Potential fouling limited to heat
temperatures exchanger
 Requires larger  Potential fouling in chilled  Requires additional heat
outdoor air, return, water loop exchanger, piping, valves, and
and exhaust duct  controls
Requires additional
systems piping, valves, and  Can operate simultaneously
controls with chiller

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

free cooling
Refrigerant Migration
from
compressor

condenser

to
compressor
evaporator

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

equipment certification standards
ARI Standard 550/590
 Purpose
 Establish definitions, testing,
and rating requirements
 Scope
 Factory designed and
prefabricated water chillers
 Vapor-compression
refrigeration
 Air-cooled and water-cooled
condensing

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

equipment certification standards
ARI Standard 550/590
 Standard rating conditions
 Common system conditions for published ratings
 Fouling factor
 Integrated Part Load Value (IPLV)
 Part-load efficiency rating
 Based on an “average” single-chiller installation
 Standard operating conditions

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Centrifugal Water Chillers
period six
Review

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Review—Period 1
compressor
motor

condenser

starter
control
panel

© American Standard Inc. 1999

evaporator Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Review—Period 2

6 condenser
Pc 4
expansion
economizer 5
pressure

devices
8 2-stage
P1 7 3 2 compressor

Pe 9 1
evaporator

© American Standard Inc. 1999

enthalpy Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Review—Period 3
impellers

inlet vanes
© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN
Review—Period 4
 Maintenance considerations
 Operating log
 Mechanical components
 Heat-transfer surfaces
 Fluid analysis

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

Review—Period 5
 Application considerations
 Condensing temperature control
 Constant or variable evaporator-water flow
 Short evaporator-water loops
 Heat recovery
 Free cooling
 Equipment certification standards

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN

© American Standard Inc. 1999 Air Conditioning Clinic TRG-TRC010-EN