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North Slope Chillers

Industrial Water Chiller Systems

Archives for August 2018

Selecting the Correct Chiller for Your Needs

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1/2 ton chiller

Put simply, industrial chillers help keep systems and supplies cool. Unwanted heat can cause downtime, wasted materials, slow production, and, consequently, smaller profit margins. Process chillers remove unwanted heat and keep things running smoothly, even when temperatures are high.

Large Steel Liquid Tanks

Chillers are used in a variety of applications including:

  • Process Cooling
  • Food and Beverage Production
  • Chemicals
  • Plastics
  • Printing
  • Welding
  • EDM
  • Lasers

Because there are so many options for types of chillers, determining what kind of chiller you need can seem daunting. Picking the wrong chiller can lead to poor results and/or wasted energy and money. Before you make your selection, it’s important to consider your specific cooling needs and to learn about the different types of chillers available.

Let’s take a quick look at the two main types of compression chillers:

Air Cooled Chiller vs Water Cooled Chillers

Industrial chillers use either air-cooling or water-cooling technology to operate. There are benefits to both. Your selection between the two will depend on the needs of your operation.

Both types of chillers are made from the same components: an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve. While the mechanics of moth are fairly similar, air-cooled chillers use fans to move air across the condenser while water- cooled chillers move water through a closed condenser circuit.

North Slope Chillers Cooling Diagram

Air-Cooled Chillers

Air cooled chillers can typically be installed outside, which means they require no extra interior space. This makes them a great option for stationary cooling. However, it’s important to consider that they require extra energy and are more prone to blockages (compared to water-cooled chillers).

Water-Cooled Chillers

Because water has such a high heat capacity, using water evaporation to dissipate heat is typically much more energy efficient than using air. More often than not, water-cooled chillers will be your most efficient option. Additionally, water-cooled chillers tend to last longer than water-cooled.

North Slope Chillers: Custom Options!

North Slope Chillers offers top-of-the-line chillers sized for several different needs and applications. Our chillers are made to order which means any chiller ordered from us can be customized to fit your exact requirements.

To lean more about chiller selection and to determine which type and size of chillers will best fit your needs, check out our Chiller Selection Guide.

Best Temperature for Hydroponics

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Hydroponics is an agriculture method that involves growing plants in something other than soil.

There are a few different approaches to hydroponics. Sometimes the roots are supported in perlite or gravel. Often, however, no growing medium is used; plants are suspended with their roots immersed in the nutrient solution.

The key difference between traditional growing methods and hydroponics is how nutrients are applied to roots. While in traditional agriculture roots receive nutrients via soil, In hydroponics nutrients are supplied to plant roots via mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent.

hydroponic gardening

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What’s in a hydroponic nutrient solution?

Essential nutrients included in  the nutrient solution are: Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Magnesium, and Sulfur.

Additional nutrients that may be included are: Iron, Manganese, Boron, Zinc, and Copper.

Water: Temperature is Critical!

As mentioned above, hydroponics typically involves a plant’s roots being suspended in a water solvent. Because the root of a plant is the start of its vascular system (where nutrients are absorbed), it’s crucial that this area is well cared for. Extreme water temperatures around the root will diminish a plant’s capacity to absorb nutrients and water.

hydroponic water temp chart

Best Temperature for Hydroponics

To keep plants thriving, the nutrient solution and water solvent must be kept at proper temperatures. Experts agree that the best water solution temperature for hydroponics is between 65°F and 80°F. This temperature range provides an ideal setting for healthy roots and optimal nutrient absorption. To get a bit more technical, when water reservoir temperatures (also known as root zone temperatures) are between 65°F and 80°F, high levels of dissolved oxygen are available at the root zone. Additionally, these ideal temperatures encourage plant disease suppression.

When things get too hot: Cooling Options for Hydroponics

Maintaining ideal water temperatures for your nutrient solution often means incorporating some sort of process cooling solution during hot summer months. Here are a few ideas to help keep things from overheating:

hydroponics cooling chart

  1. Ice Packs

    A simple, inexpensive solution is to keep 10-15 ice packs on hand and add one to your reservoir every 15 minutes until the desired temperature is reached. This method may become time-consuming when temperatures are especially high and are likely not a viable option for larger gardens.

  2. Cool Water

    Another easy solution is to add cool water to your reservoir. Remember that anytime you add water the nutrients will become diluted; check and adjust accordingly.

  3. Paint it White!

    Painting your reservoir container white will reflect sunlight and heat and help keep your water and nutrient solution cool. This may not keep things quite cool enough when temperatures are especially high, but certainly helps prevent unnecessary heat.

  4. Hydroponics Chillers

    Chillers are an investment, but for larger operations or serious gardeners, they are the most reliable, effective, and easy to use option. Hydroponic water chillers remove excess heat from your hydroponics system and keep things at a consistent temperature without very much work on your part.

North Slope Chillers are an excellent option for hydroponics cooling. They are easy to install and will not disrupt your current layout. Additionally, North Slope Chillers offers custom solution– no matter what your garden looks like, we can help you keep it cool! Shoot us an email at [email protected] if you’d like more info. We’d love to help you out!

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Laser Chillers: Using Chillers for Laser Cooling

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close us of laser beams

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Lasers are an essential part of delivering high-speed, pinpoint accuracy in both general and specialized industrial applications. When it comes to these technologies, installing laser chillers for laser cooling provides incredible value to the operation.

There are many different types of chillers used in dozens of industries. Even though the applications may differ, the need for temperature control is consistent. Utilizing chillers keeps industrial lasers at constant temperatures; this allows the lasers to reach maximum performance. Lasers operate at extremely high temperatures. Temperature regulation removes heat from the system which prevents the overheating of critical components. Additionally, this temperature regulation drastically extends the lifespan of lasers.

lasers being used in military development

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Laser chillers are regularly used in a variety of applications including metallurgy, welding, thermal spray, polishing, spindle, laser cutting, induction heating and ovens, deep draw presses, grinding, fiber optics, and PCB drilling. Specialized applications include cosmetic treatments, military grade lasers, and medical technology treatments.

Let’s take a quick look at the specific benefits of using chillers for lasers:

Sustain Constant Laser Wavelength and Power

Output wavelength and power are quite temperature sensitive. Using chillers for lasers will keep these elements consistent. This will ensure reliable laser performance. Moreover, keeping wavelength and power well-regulated will increase the life of lasers.

Remove Waste Heat

As mentioned above, lasers generate significant heat output. Chillers sufficiently cool lasers to eliminate unnecessary waste heat. This ensures steady temperature, flow rate, and quality with laser equipment.

what do laser chillers do? Chart from North Slope Chillers

Achieve Desired Beam Quality and Prevent Vibrations in the Laser Head

In some laser applications like welding, uncontrolled heat rates commonly result in lowered beam quality and vibrations in the laser head. Proper temperature control maintains the shape and beam of the laser. This, in turn, reduces scrap rates.

Lessen Thermal Stress on the Laser System

Drastic changes in temperatures put a great deal of stress on operating systems. Using chillers to cool laser systems reduces this stress. That means significantly less defective productions and system breakdowns.

Achieve Higher Production Value

Laser systems are sensitive; the exceptional heat that lasers generate will most definitely lead to unexpected downtime, faulty parts, and lost profit if the proper temperature control steps aren’t taken.

If you’re in the market for a laser chiller, check out what we have to offer! North Slope Chillers are easy to install and remove and can easily be customized to fit your process cooling needs.