CHW Plant Design Guide Summary

COMPRESSORS
 Reciprocating

 Rotary
Types of Rotary in HVAC Industry
a. Scroll
b. Single blade (fixed vane)
c. Rotating vane
d. Screw
Two Types in used today
a. Single screw
b. Twin screw
 Centrifugal
Surge - is a condition that occurs when the compressor is required to produce high lift at low
volumetric flow, During a surge condition, the refrigerant alternately moves backward and forward
through the compressor, creating a great deal of noise, vibration, and heat. Prolonged operation of
the machine in surge condition can lead to failure. Easy to detect in that the electrical current to
the compressor will alternately increase and decrease with the changing refrigerant flow

Incipient surge - which the machine gurgles and churns, this is not harmful to the compressor but
may create unwanted vibration. The electrical current does not vary during incipient surge.

The capacity of centrifugal compressors may be controlled by three methods:

 The most common is to use inlet guide vanes or prerotation vane.
 vary the speed of the impeller in conjunction with using inlet guide vanes
 hot gas bypass (HGBP)

CHILLERS
Two types of evaporators are used in water chillers:
 flooded shell and tube
 the direct expansion evaporators (DX)
 Flooded Shell and Tube
 The flooded shell and tube heat exchanger has the cooled fluid (usually water) inside the tubes
and the refrigerant on the shell side (outside the tubes).

Direct Expansion
 The direct expansion (DX) evaporator has the refrigerant inside the tubes and the cooled fluid
(usually water) on the shell side (outside the tubes).

ARI 550/590-2003 and 560-2000 Rating Conditions for Water Chillers

IPLV - “integrated part-load value”. Part-load efficiency for equipment is based on the weighted
operation at various load capacities for the equipment. The equipment COP is derived for 100%, 75%,
50%, and 25% loads (with consideration for condenser water relief) and is based on a weighted
percentage of operational hours (assumed) at each condition
Reciprocating and Scroll Chillers
 These chillers are widely used in tonnage ranges from 50 to 230 tons although they are
available up to much larger sizes (400 tons and up). Most frequently the compressor design is
semi-hermetic compressors
Rotary Screw Chillers
 Screw chillers tend to be most cost competitive in the 100 ton to 300 ton range although they
are available in a wider range of capacities.
 Screw chillers tend to be very noisy at design conditions due to the high speed of operation.
Centrifugal Chillers
 Centrifugal chillers have the highest efficiency ratings of all the chillers discussed. They are
available in sizes from 80 tons to 10,000 tons but the most common sizes are from 200 to 2,000
tons
 In addition to the energy savings, centrifugal chillers with variable speed drives are quieter at
part load and are likely to last longer.
Absorption Chillers
 Sizes for absorption chillers range from 100 to 1,700 tons. Absorption machines typically cost
two or more times that of an electric-driven chiller
Turbine-Driven and Engine-Driven Chillers
 Both use the same vapor compression cycle as an electric machine except it uses a reciprocating
engine, or a gas- or steam-driven turbine as the prime mover

COOLING TOWERS
Range - The temperature difference between the water entering the cooling tower and the
temperature leaving the tower.

Approach - The temperature difference between the water leaving the cooling tower and the ambient
wet-bulb temperature.

Types of Cooling Towers

 Spray Towers - Spray towers distribute high-pressure water through nozzles into a chamber
where air is induced to flow with the water spray. There are no fans, Spray towers are seldom
used.
  Forced Draft Cooling Towers - Forced draft towers can be of the crossflow or counterflow type,
with axial or centrifugal fans.

 Induced Draft Cooling Towers - The induced draft tower is by far the most widely used and
energy-efficient cooling tower available in the HVAC industry

Application Issues
 Siting and Recirculation - When the saturated air leaving the cooling tower is drawn back into
the intake of the tower, the recirculation that occurs degrades the performance of the tower
 Capacity Control
a. On/Off - Cycling fans is a viable method but leads to increased wear on belts and drives (if
used) and can lead to premature motor failure
b. Two-Speed Motors - Multiple wound motors or reduced voltage starters can be used to
change the speed of the fan for capacity control. This method is cost effective and well
proven
c. Pony Motors - This is another version of the two-speed approach. A second, smaller motor
is belted to the fan shaft.
d. Variable-Speed Drive (VSD - Adjustable frequency drives can be added to the motors for
speed control. This method provides the best temperature control performance and is the
most energy-efficient method of control.
 Chemical Treatment and Cleaning.
a. Cooling towers are notorious for requiring high maintenance
  Towers must be cleaned and inspected regularly.
 Blowdown - To control dissolved solids a portion of the flow of the tower should be
discharged into the sewer
 Scale Prevention - Control of the pH (acid levels) is extremely important. Usually
acids, inorganic phosphates or similar compounds are commonly used to control pH.
 Corrosion Control - Corrosion can be caused by high oxygen content, carbon dioxide
(carbonic acid), low pH, or high dissolved solids. Blowdown is the most practical
solution.
 Biological growth - Slime and algae are handled with shock treatments of chlorine
or chlorine compounds
 Foam and Scum - Usually caused from excess organic material. Cleaning the
machine is the best remedy.
 Makeup Water - Wind can induce cooling tower drift. As a rule of thumb, drift reduces
blowdown; thus, make-up water is generally estimated at 2 percent of tower flow rate
considering evaporation, drift and blowdown.

Performance of Cooling Towers

 In reviewing the typical performance curve, one feature not well understood is that for a given
range, as the entering wet bulb (EWB) decreases, the approach increases. As EWB drops, it is
likely that the load (range) will also decrease for the same flow rate. Yet even at this condition,
the approach still increases over design condition.

Cooling Tower Accessories and Options

 Filters - Side stream filters include either sand filters or centrifugal separators
 Fan breaks or stops - These are devices that prevent the fan from rotating backwards.
 Vibration Switch - This stops the fan if vibration exceeds a certain limit. It could prevent
catastrophic failure of fan
  Ladders and Access Platforms - Any area where maintenance personnel need to inspect, repair,
or replace equipment should have adequate access.
 Vortex Breaking Inlet Screens - These prevent air from being drawn into the pump suction. This
is an essential accessory.

Pump Installation and Operation

The following are installation and operation guidelines that will help ensure proper operation of pumps:
 The minimum flow through a pump should be sufficient to remove the heat of compression
(motor input power) with no more than a 10°F temperature rise.
 Careful attention must be paid to the conditions at the pump inlet; a minimum of 4 to 6
diameters of straight pipe upstream or a “suction diffuser” is recommended for field-installed
pumps.
 Variable-flow pumps should never have balance valves installed on the discharge, as flow
balancing can be easily accomplished by varying the speed of the pump.
 When using a combination duty balance and check valve, install an additional shut-off valve
downstream so that the check valve can be maintained.