Industrial chillers are available in a range of cooling levels and sizes in order to meet the varied need for industrial chilling that different industries, including dairy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, have. For liter industrial processes then small chillers are an ideal choice. Where the industrial process requires a more robust cooling of below 0 Fahrenheit, a large ultra low temperature chiller is what is needed.

Types of small industrial chillers

These are several types of small industrial chiller that are currently available on the market. These are:

Frost chillers – This type of chiller is perfect for manufacturers in light industry that want to experience process cooling for the first time. The entry level chiller is portable so can be used for single application cooling. It is able to consistently produce temperatures between 45 – 85 Fahrenheit.

Freeze chillers – The Freeze chiller is highly powerful and dependable. It has the capacity to consistently produce temperatures between 40 – 75 Fahrenheit at 1.5 – 2 ton, and between 40 – 65 Fahrenheit at 5 – 10 ton. This chiller is a workhorse that comes equipped with a durable condensing unit and lots of horsepower. The refrigerants used in this chiller are R134A and R404A. The latter is a HFC blend that is commonly used as an alternative to CFC 502. Depending on the exact model, the voltage ranges from 208 – 480 volts.

Deep Freeze chillers – This chiller works on an industrial scale and has the ability to consistently produce temperatures between -112 – 70 Fahrenheit. All its internal parts come fully insulated in order to ensure that no temperature is lost internally. The Deep Freeze chiller will keep important equipment and materials cold even in the hottest of conditions. The refrigerants used in this chiller are R404A and R508B. These are a HFC blend and commonly used alternatives to CFC 502 and R503 / R13. Depending on the exact model, the voltage ranges from 208 – 480 volts.

Fluxwrap – Not technically a chiller, but a simple and convenient temperature solution nonetheless. It is able to produce both hot and cold liquid circulations to regulate the temperature of equipment and containers, providing a consistent and controlled temperature at all times. It is able to providing chilling or heating to vessels that previously were either too difficult or not financially feasible to chill.

How do they work?

Small industrial chillers can be categories into two main types, depending on how they move the refrigerant around their system. These are vapor absorption, which use heat and vapour compression, which use an electric drive mechanism. Vapour compression is the most common type and are present in both air chillers and water / fluid chillers.

Air chillers – These work by using air to get rid of the heat. Fans blast cool air across the tubes of the condenser to cool it down. This method is much less energy efficient than the water cooling method. These chillers are ideal for when it comes to static cooling. They are very easy to install and can even be installed on the outside of a building, saving space on the inside. However, they are more likely to experience issues with recirculation and blockages than water chillers.

Water chillers – These work by removing heat through the pumping of water, or another fluid, through a condenser and dispersing it through a cooling tower. These chillers are more efficient than air cooled chillers. Thanks to water’s high heat capacity, the process of using water evaporation to dissipate heat is far more energy efficient than blowing cool air across a hot surface. Traditionally, these chillers last longer than air chillers as well.

Despite the stated differences, the two types of chillers are actually made up of the same components, which include an expansion valve, an evaporator, a compressor, and a condenser. The mechanics of the two chiller types are also extremely similar.

The compressor starts the refrigeration cycle and begins so by pushing the refrigerant through to the condenser. During this process the low temperature and low pressure refrigerant is compressed and changed into a high temperature and high pressure gas. Whilst in the condenser air or water flows over the coils to remove any heat from the refrigerant. The refrigerant condenses at this point as it loses heat and turns into a liquid form.

After leaving the condenser, the refrigerant goes through the expansion valve where it is restricted. Once through the valve, the refrigerant goes into the evaporator where it then begins to evaporate back into a gas state. During this process it gets super cold and absorbs a large amount of heat. This heat is removed from the fluid and transferred in to the refrigerant. This will then enter the compressor and the entire cycle starts over again.

The types of compressors the chiller can utilize are subcategorized as the following:

Reciprocating chillers – Work using a chamber and pistons to compress the refrigerant.

Scroll compressor chillers – Used in both water / fluid chillers and air chillers and work by utilizing one rotating plate and a stationary plate to compress the refrigerant.

Screw driven chillers – This type of compressor works by utilizing a couple of helical rotor blades that interlock to compress the refrigerant. They come as units that weigh as much as anywhere between 70 – 600 tons.

Centrifugal chillers – Work by using rotating blades to compress the refrigerant and push it through the chiller. However, these types of compressors are able to provide high cooling capacity whilst maintaining a compact design.

How to solve industrial cooling issues

Process cooling systems work to effectively and reliably eliminate unwanted heat within a range of industries. Maintaining the required temperature levels to keep operations running smoothly has never been so simple and easy. When industrial processes cause systems and / or materials to overheat it poses a risk to them.

However, with a Frost, Freeze, or Deep Freeze chiller or even a Fluxwrap, your mind can be put at rest that the optimal level is always being maintained.