Welcome to the Chiller Science Class! When choosing a chiller, we need to consider multiple key factors, including application scenarios, technical parameters, environmental conditions, and cost-effectiveness. This article will help you sort out the selection ideas of chillers from the aspects of basic parameters, core requirements, installation environment adaptability, and special application requirements.

1. Basic parameters and core requirements

01 Cooling  capacity and flow rate

First we need to confirm the cooling capacity and flow requirements. The detailed calculation method and steps are as follows:

① Determine the maximum heat output: The first step is to confirm the heat output of the equipment when it is running at full load. Usually, this can be obtained in the following ways: The maximum heat output of the equipment will be stated in the general product manual; if there is no specific data, it can be estimated based on the experience of similar equipment.

②Confirm the inlet and outlet temperature difference: The inlet and outlet temperature difference (ΔT) of the cooling medium (water or ethylene glycol solution) is usually 3~5℃.

③Calculate the required flow rate: Calculate the required cooling medium flow rate based on the heat load and the inlet and outlet temperature difference.

④ Consider redundant design: When calculating, it is recommended to reserve a margin of 10% to 20% of the cooling capacity to cope with extreme working conditions or future expansion needs.

For example:

Suppose you need to cool a device with a heat output of 10 kW, the cooling medium is water, and the inlet and outlet temperature difference is 5 ℃.

Cooling capacity = 10 kW

Flow rate = cooling capacity Q/(temperature difference ΔT× specific heat capacity c) = 10/(5X4.18) = 0.478m³/h

Note: The specific heat capacity of water is ≈4.18 kJ/kg·℃

Assuming 15% more redundancy:

Cooling capacity = 10X1.15 = 11.5kW

Flow rate = 0.478X1.15 = 0.550m³/h

According to the calculation results, a chiller with a cooling capacity of 11.5 kW and a flow rate of 0.55 m³/h is selected.

02 Temperature  control accuracy

The temperature control accuracy of industrial cooling is usually ±0.5℃~±2℃, while the temperature control accuracy of some precision scenes (such as semiconductors, medical treatment, etc.) needs to reach ±0.1℃ or even higher. The following are the relevant options of temperature control technology, you can make a choice according to your actual needs:

①PID+electronic expansion valve: suitable for temperature control accuracy requirements above ±0.1℃.

② Electric heating assistance: suitable for ultra-precision temperature control needs below ±0.1℃.

③Dual channel: Dual channel means that one thermostat can control the temperature of two systems at the same time, and the temperature control accuracy is ±0.1 and ±0.5℃ respectively.

03Cooling  medium type

There are three types of cooling media for chillers, which are suitable for different application scenarios:

① Water-cooled type: requires a cooling tower or plant water, suitable for use in areas with a stable water source and high ambient temperature.

② Air-cooled type : does not require cooling medium and is suitable for use in water-scarce environments or mobile scenarios. Its disadvantage is that the cooling efficiency will be greatly reduced in high-temperature environments.

③ Antifreeze (ethylene glycol solution): Suitable for low-temperature application scenarios (for example, temperatures below 20°C), and it is necessary to pay special attention to the impact of solution concentration and viscosity on pump power.

2. Environmental Installation and Adaptability

01  Environmental conditions

Environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and space size can directly affect the choice of chiller:

① Temperature range: If the application environment temperature is higher than 35°C, the efficiency of the air-cooled chiller will drop significantly. At this time, a chiller with a high temperature resistant design should be selected.

② Humidity and corrosiveness: If the location is at the seaside or chemical zone, you need to choose a chiller with an anti-corrosion coating (such as titanium tubes, epoxy coating).

③ Space limitation: If you choose an air-cooled chiller, you need to reserve enough air inlet and exhaust space before installation; if there is not enough installation space, it is recommended to choose a small modular unit (stackable installation).

02 Noise  requirements

Different industries and usage environments have different noise requirements. Please make reasonable choices based on your low noise requirements:

①Industrial scenario: Noise level is allowed to be ≤75 dB(A).

① Medical/laboratory, etc.: The chiller needs to be designed with low noise (≤60 dB(A)).

03 Power  supply and compatibility

① Voltage and frequency: confirm that the power supply matches (our chillers support five power specifications: Chinese, European, American, Japanese and aviation plugs).

②Communication: Confirm the communication protocol (our chillers support I/O, RS232, RS485 and other communication protocols).

04 Circulating  fluid interface

Interface selection: Interface selection for inlet/outlet and drain - Rc1 or Rc1/2 (note threaded adapter assembly).

3. Special application requirements

01 Ultra  -low temperature conditions

If your application environment temperature is below 40℃, you can choose FerroTec low-temperature chiller for temperature control: it adopts cascade refrigeration system (two-stage compression), with temperature control accuracy of ±1℃ and temperature control range of -80~130℃.

02 Environmental  Compliance

Due to different restrictions on the GWP and ODP values ​​of refrigerants in different countries around the world, for example, EU countries require that the GWP value must be less than 750, while the United States requires it to be less than 1500. FerroTec can select the corresponding model of refrigerant to customize the chiller according to the needs of customers in various countries.

03 Meet  diverse customization needs

FerroTec chillers support customized development, with a variety of temperature control combination solutions to choose from, and have a variety of accessories such as DI control components, piping components, port assembly components, circulating fluid, power plugs, etc. to meet the needs of customers in different industries for chiller equipment.

Through this article, we know that the actual selection of chillers involves various factors such as cooling capacity, temperature control accuracy, environmental conditions, etc. In the actual selection process, it is recommended to give priority to professional temperature control solution suppliers represented by FerroTec to ensure efficient, stable operation and long-term reliability of the system.