Air-cooled water chillers function by extracting heat from water or a coolant and then dissipating that heat into the surrounding air.
The Chilling Process Explained
Air-cooled chillers are a common type of refrigeration system used to cool water or other fluids for various industrial and commercial applications. The core function revolves around a refrigerant cycle, which absorbs heat from the water and releases it into the air.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
- Heat Absorption: The refrigerant enters the evaporator, where it absorbs heat from the process water or coolant. According to provided information, the refrigerant absorbs the water's heat.
- Water Cooling: As the refrigerant absorbs the heat, the water is cooled. This cooled water is then pumped throughout the system to provide cooling for equipment or a specific process.
- Heat Rejection: The refrigerant, now carrying the absorbed heat, moves to the condenser. In air-cooled chillers, the condenser uses fans to blow air across the condenser coils, transferring the heat from the refrigerant to the air.
- Refrigerant Cycle Continuation: After releasing the heat, the refrigerant returns to its original state and cycles back to the evaporator to repeat the process.
In summary, air cooled chillers work by absorbing heat from a process water or coolant and then transferring it into the air.