System Issues and Challenges

Low 'T Syndrome

For many years the low 'T syndrome debate has raged.27, 28 The symptom
of the problem is that, in large systems, return-water temperature is too low,
thus not allowing the chillers to fully load. Many system operators simply turn
on more pumps and chillers to satisfy flow requirements, which wastes energy.
For primary-secondary systems, some system designers advocate putting a
check valve in the bypass linethus putting chilled-water primary and
secondary pumps in series and varying the flow through chiller evaporators.
Other designers install primary pumps that are larger than necessary and over
pump chillers at part-load conditions. These solutions are all band-aids and
do not treat the source of the problem. Coad14 points to the fact that a properly
operating hydraulic system will work as designed and explains the fallacies in
the check valve and over pumping approaches. (Refer to the Check valves
sidebar on page 46.) Taylor29 recommends that a number of mitigating
procedures be implemented to eliminate the problem. They include:

Eliminating three-way valves

Ensuring that airside control is not causing the problem

Properly maintaining the system, including regular air filter changes, coil
cleaning, control calibration, and proper setpoints

Before applying band-aid approaches in an attempt to fix symptoms such as

low 'T syndrome, ensure that the system is operating properly using some or
all of the procedures Taylor29 discusses. In addition to these procedures, simply
reducing the chilled-water supply temperature will have the effect of raising the
system return-water temperature in systems using two-way valves.

Amount of Fluid in the Loop

Two questions must be answered when determining how much fluid is
necessary to maintain proper chilled-water-system control:

How fast can the specific chiller respond to changing conditions?

How fast can the system respond to changing conditions?

The amount of fluid the loop requires to operate properly is related to the larger
of these two answers. Note that both answers describe an amount of time.
Required Volume = Flow Rate Loop Time
Where:

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Required Volume = the amount of fluid in the coil, pipes, evaporator barrel,
storage tank, etc., in gallons [liters]

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System Issues and Challenges

Flow Rate = the system flow rate, in gpm [L/s]

Loop Time = the time it takes for fluid to leave the chiller, move through
the system, and return to the chiller, allowing for stable system operation,
in minutes [seconds]

Chiller response to changing conditions

Follow the manufacturers advice for the specific chiller being considered.
This determines the absolute minimum amount of water the loop requires.
However, this is the chiller minimum, not the system minimum, as discussed
in the next section. Many of todays chillers have controls that respond
quickly to changing conditions. Some chillers can react to a change in return
water temperature in one minute; other chillers may require five or more
minutes to react. The response varies, depending on chiller type and design.

System response to changing conditions

It is important to understand that even if a chiller can respond to rapidly
changing conditions, the interaction between the chiller, system pumps, and
control valves may define the minimum loop time. These components may
hunt if the system conditions change too rapidly. Review these interactions
to ensure that system control will be stable.
Example
A specific chiller requires at least two minutes of water in the loop to operate
properly. However, after considering the system interaction, its decided that
a five-minute loop time will work best. The system design flow rate is 960
gpm [60.6 L/s].
Required Volume = 960 gpm 5 minutes = 4,800 gallons
= 60 L/s 5 minutes (60 seconds/1 minute)= 18,180 liters
If the volume of fluid in the evaporator bundle, piping, and coils is less than
the required volume, a tank should be added to increase loop volume. For
optimal stability, the tank should be placed in the return water position and
be designed to mix the returning-water stream with the water currently in the
tank. In systems with no bypass, the tank may be placed in the supply chilledwater position.
Alternatively, the designer could:

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increase pipe sizes (increases system volume and reduces pump energy)

design system for a lower flow rate (lowers required volume and reduces
pumping energy, especially when same-sized pipes are used)

Chiller System Design and Control

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