Free cooling offers a highly efficient alternative to chiller-based cooling, but its success depends on effective operation and control—especially during system transitions. This article outlines practical techniques for improving the shift between chiller and free cooling modes, minimizing temperature spikes and maintaining process stability in industrial environments. It also covers strategies for enhancing chiller performance under low-temperature conditions, optimizing heat exchanger startup, setting reliable control triggers and addressing maintenance and freeze protection. With proper tuning and operation, facilities can significantly increase free cooling hours, reduce energy use and extend chiller life without risking production disruptions.
Faced with the requirement for improved cooling, a blow molding plant chose to invest in a significant redesign of its cooling systems that combined two separate systems into a single, integrated system. The combined design leveraged the components to provide a more controlled, efficient system while also requiring less space than the alternative would have needed.
Controlling cooling water flow is a critical element of high-performance cooling systems. Fortunately, pressure is a straightforward measurement that can be used as a cost-effective control input for flow control systems. Proper interpretation of pressure readings is required for accurate control at desired rates. This article covers pressure reading methods, control strategies and practical tips.
This article will make plants aware of the energy and water use differential between CHW systems providing chilled water in a 45-60°F (7-16°C) range, and process cooling solutions at 70°F up to 120°F (21 to 49°C). The article will examine cooling resource evaluation criteria and supply water temperature specifications, then describe and compare process cooling options.
Machine cooling high temperature problems are unfortunately all-too common in industrial plants. While the initial suspect is always the heat exchanger, there are several other factors that can be the underlying cause. Important steps can be taken to minimize the potential for heat exchanger fouling, but when problems do occur, careful examination of the machine and the system can help identify the problem efficiently and with minimal wasted effort.
This article explores the distinction between standard system controls and holistic controls for highly efficient process cooling systems. Examples of high performance controls features and implementations are provided, and screening questions are listed for initial investigation of existing system and potential new systems.
Process cooling systems are mandatory components of the production infrastructure in many plants. System efficiency is second only to operational performance (i.e. meeting the process requirements) in the design and operation of these systems, and many companies go to great lengths to attain system efficiency. Many times, unfortunately, the actual system performance is well below the hoped for efficiency target.
This article will discuss the instrumentation typically found in cooling systems and other plant utility systems, what other instruments and gauges should be used, how the instrumentation should be used, and good maintenance practices for instrumentation.
This article will be of particular interest to industrial system operators unfamiliar with tankless (primarily closed) systems who may be considering either installing new systems without tanks or removing existing open tanks. The topics covered step through an understanding of tankless systems while also including tank system pointers and insights on converting systems with tanks into tankless systems.
This article will explore why tanks are used in cooling systems, why they might not be used in cooling systems, and finally considerations to be evaluated in determining if tanks are needed in any particular central plant cooling system. Part 2 will review specific application details for using tanks and also for tankless systems and system conversions.
An Illinois food service products manufacturer now saves nearly 60% of their base annual cooling energy costs through improvements made in three phases over several years. The plant, which has a 1200 ton chilled water plant, implemented upgrades including pump and tower fan VFDs and enhanced function controls, free cooling, and chiller compressor drive retrofits. The revisions built through successive phases to capture further benefits from more complete utilization of the preceding steps’ capabilities.
An Illinois protective packaging manufacturer was able to reduce their cooling costs by over 60% while also saving around $100,000 each year on system maintenance by replacing their old system with high-efficiency equipment and a streamlined hydronic design. Helped by ComEd efficiency incentives, the plant captured these benefits through an under 2.4 year payback system upgrade project.
