3 main causes of industrial chiller problems and how to avoid them

 Industrial chillers provide controlled temperatures for a variety of applications, such as space cooling and food and beverage preservation. As one of the most energy-consuming components of a commercial facility, proper operation and maintenance procedures should be a top priority. Ignoring the right protocol can lead to lower system performance, higher energy costs, and shorter device life.

There are many factors that can lead to a decrease in equipment efficiency, including improper operation, neglect of maintenance, too large or too small size. These omissions pose a potential threat to the productivity of the chiller. Let's look at 3 main reasons why industrial chillers have problems:

The manufacturer's guidelines should always be followed as improper operation can affect the efficiency and service life of the chiller. Forcing the device to perform an operation it is not intended to perform and ignoring the consequences of an operation will make the chiller more susceptible to complications. It is believed that the higher the flow rate, the more cooling water is available. This is not true, as increasing the flow rate above the manufacturer's recommendation will only reduce the efficiency of the cooler. It may also increase the corrosion rate of the pipe, leading to premature pipe failure. Incorrect operating practices are often overlooked because the chiller manages to keep working. However, it would be a mistake to allow these practices to become the norm, as this will lead to bigger and more expensive industrial chiller problems in the long run.

The solution: One way to ensure consistent chiller performance is to train personnel in operating and maintenance practices. This will enable them to spot any problems before they become widespread. In addition, the introduction of a chiller maintenance plan will ensure the preservation of equipment.

Disregarded Maintenance

Neglecting proper maintenance procedures can affect chiller performance. Poor maintenance can cause equipment to consume more energy during cooling. Solution: Effective chiller maintenance begins with the retention of valuable diagnostic tools, such as operation logs. This will enable you to track chiller data so that the operator can identify trends in chiller performance. This will also help maintenance personnel so that they can easily find the root cause of any complications. Regularly scheduled inspections should not be ignored. Daily, weekly, monthly and annual inspections will help determine the condition of the chiller.

Oversizing/Under-sizing

When the facility is new or undergoing renovation, the chiller may not be the correct size. Too small will result in insufficient airflow, which means the chiller will not achieve its full cooling capacity. Too large a size can limit low load operations, which can lead to higher operating costs due to excessive cycling. Solution: Study the performance of existing chiller and the cooling load of actual service.