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North Slope Chillers

Industrial Water Chiller Systems

Process Cooling Education

Recirculating Chillers

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What’s in a name?

Think you’ve never heard of a recirculating chiller before? Think again.

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chiller

Chiller: You Know What It Is

When we think of industrial cooling equipment, the word that most often comes to mind is “chiller.” That’s because chiller is the term most often used in any industry when referring to cooling equipment. 

Known By Another Name

Technically, these units are called recirculating chillers, aptly named for their ability to circulate liquids through a cooling system while drawing heat away from temperature-sensitive materials. Recirculating chillers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, suiting the specific industries they serve. From hydroponics to plastics, cannabis to dairy, and lasers to 3D printing, recirculating chillers are an important part of manufacturing everywhere. 

Did you know that chillers originated in German breweries? Check out our article on how to keep beer cold to learn about how and why recirculating chillers came into existence. 

How Chiller Systems Work

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If you work with industrial machinery, you might use a process chiller system to keep your machines from overheating. They can be very effective in keeping things at optimal temperatures, but how does a chiller work? Knowing how process chillers work can be helpful in choosing the best system to meet your needs.

How a Chiller Works

To put it simply, industrial chillers cool process fluids. Process fluids (typically water or a water/glycol mix) are used to cool machinery, equipment, food, etc. The process fluid absorbs heat from what is being cooled and then goes through the chiller where the heat is removed from the fluid and transferred to the ambient air.

Two Circuits

Industrial water or glycol chiller systems contain two main circuits: a refrigeration circuit and a fluid circuit. The refrigeration circuit is made up of four components: the compressor, the condenser, the expansion valve and the evaporator. The refrigeration circuit removes heat from the process fluid. The fluid circuit is typically comprised of a fluid reservoir, a pump, filters, and a heat exchanger. The fluid circuit carries the process fluid around the object being cooled.

The Refrigeration Cycle Step by Step – Chiller Diagram

Water chiller diagram

The refrigeration circuit is the most technical part of how a chiller works.The refrigeration cycle uses the principles of thermodynamics to efficiently move heat from one area to another. In the case of chillers, heat is taken from the fluid being chilled and transferred to the ambient air.

  1. The Compressor

The refrigeration cycle begins with the compressor. The compressor takes low-pressure low-temperature refrigerant in gas form and compresses it into a high-pressure high-temperature gas.

  1. The Condenser

This gas then flows through coils in the condenser. While in the condenser, air or water will flow over the coils and remove heat from the refrigerant. As the refrigerant loses heat it will begin to condense until all of the gas has condensed into a liquid.

  1. The Expansion Valve

After leaving the condenser, the liquid goes through the expansion valve. The expansion valve restricts the flow of refrigerant. When the high-pressure liquid goes through the expansion valve it enters the evaporator.

  1. The Evaporator

The evaporator is where the refrigerant starts evaporating back into a gas. When the refrigerant evaporates it gets very cold and absorbs a lot of heat. It is in the evaporator that the process fluid will interact with the cold refrigerant. Heat is removed from the fluid and transferred to the refrigerant. The refrigerant will then enter the compressor and the cycle begins again.

North Slope Chillers

North Slope Chiller Unit

Now that you know how a chiller works, you may be considering your process chiller system options. North Slope Chillers boast the most advanced active refrigeration circuit available. They are easy to install, remove and relocate and will not disrupt the layout of your current system. Whether you’re looking to cool, freeze, or anything in between, North Slope Chillers offers a solution to meet your needs.

Glycol Chiller Systems in Process Cooling

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Glycol: A Critical Chemical

Glycol is a common liquid used in process cooling across many industries. But is it the right one for your chilling needs?

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Process Cooling

Process cooling systems are a critical part of most manufacturing industries. Heat energy is built up as materials are put together and chemicals are combined. Process cooling allows those materials to be held at a stable temperature while the manufacturing process around them continues without heat becoming a worry.

The use of process cooling is widespread. These are only a few examples of the ways process cooling systems are used across the globe:

  • The plastic industry needs cooling to reduce the time it takes to create products using injection molding.
  • Cooling is used in the creation of pharmaceuticals when removing heat from medicinal vats as products move from the manufacturing stage to the containment and packaging stages.
  • Newspaper, books and magazine printers require process cooling to lower ink temperatures and in removing heat from friction caused by print rollers.
  • Home brewers, craft breweries and microbreweries use process cooling to make sure their brews are kept at the right temperatures while fermenting.

Different cooling liquids

Not all process cooling systems are created equal. There are a number of different types of heat-removal liquids that are used to effectively control temperature. These include water, deionized water, dielectric fluids and glycol. Let’s go over the pros and cons of using each cooling liquid:

Water

The most common liquid used in cooling, water is cheap and easily obtainable. An additional benefit is that water is a stable, nontoxic liquid, making cleanup easy in the event of spills. On the downside, water is extremely corrosive thanks to impurities in it such as chlorine, a common additive to tap water. Calcium buildup is also likely due to the fact that it too is generally found in tap water. Using filters, corrosion inhibitors or pure water can help remove these impurities.  

Deionized Water

Basically water without additives, deionized water has all of the ions removed from normal water via filter, reverse osmosis membrane and deionization system. The only real advantages deionized water has over other cooling liquids is that it’s safest to use for electrical manufacturing, due in part to the water having high resistance properties. However, this same feature also causes the water to be acidic upon exposure to the open air, leading to non-stainless steel pipes corroding.  

Dielectric Fluids

These fluids, such as castor oil, liquid oxygen or mineral oil, are also mainly used in electronics to keep equipment cool while providing electrical insulation. Dielectric fluids are often tailored to the material they serve and are very expensive as a result.

Glycol

A toxic liquid, ethylene glycol is mainly used as an antifreeze and for corrosion prevention. In addition, glycol has a low viscosity, negating the need for high-powered pumps that other cooling liquids might require. Glycol is the chemical of choice in process cooling due to its ability to reach extremely low temperatures without thickening or freezing. When combined with water, the freezing point of the collective chemicals reaches well below zero.

water and ethylene glycol chart

For most companies, a glycol chiller is the cooling system of choice to keep the heat away. Chillers pump cold liquids, usually water, glycol or a mixture of both, through heat-creating machinery via pipes or wraps. The cooling liquid absorbs the heat and brings it back to the chiller, which removes the heat and sends the liquid back out at a low temperature in order to draw away more heat.

Other chemicals can be used in process cooling. However, these chemicals don’t have the same temperature reach that glycol does, are less effective for general use, or are too expensive for most businesses.

Glycol in Chillers

North Slope Chillers recognizes the unique requirements that individual businesses have in process cooling, especially when using glycol. Glycol heaters and chillers are tantamount to achieving the best result. That’s why each chiller system is created to be the solution to specific temperature control problems. Chillers can be custom ordered according to size, flow rate, fluid variations and more.

Other issues that might arise in process cooling might be more along the lines of storage cooling, an issue that Fluxwrap was born to take care of. Fluxwrap is a cooling wrap that works with a chiller system to encase a container or drum in a blanket of cold, keeping your material at a stable temperature.

Learn More

North Slope Chillers is here to meet your process cooling needs. Even if your cooling problem is uniquely specific, our team of custom chiller builders are here to find a solution and get you back in control of your temperatures.

What is Process Cooling?

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Commercial environments typically utilize two types of cooling: comfort cooling and process cooling. Comfort cooling is what we are typically most familiar with– think air conditioning and other cooling systems used to keep living and work places at comfortable temperatures. While most people aren’t as familiar with process chilling, we all regularly use items that couldn’t exist without the help of that type of system.

Put simply, process cooling removes unwanted heat from processes to keep things running smoothly.

Some common products that rely heavily on this kind of cooling are: chemicals, beer and other fermented beverages, dairy products, plastic products, printed materials, jewelry, most metal items, and internet technology.

Chemical Products

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Think of the chemicals you use at home. Just a few that come to mind are rubbing alcohol, antifreeze, battery acid, white-out, and glass cleaner.

The production of these goods require extreme care. One of the most challenging aspects of processing, handling and storing chemicals is maintaining a consistent temperature. Temperatures even a few degrees above “ideal” can quickly damage chemical products and create a chemically hazardous environment.

Fermented Beverages

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If you’ve ever enjoyed a refreshing beer, you have process cooling to thank.

High-quality brews require careful temperature control during the fermentation process. Ideal beer fermentation temperature is between 68 and 72° F. For lager, ideal fermentation temps are between 45 and 55°F. Fermenting above these temperature ranges will create extremely fruity-flavored esters and harsh-flavored fusel alcohols. Additionally, high temps could slow or stop fermentation altogether.

Dairy

Cheese, ice cream, milk, yogurt, you name it!  It all requires careful temperature control to prevent unwanted bacteria growth and undesirable textures.

Cooling is also used during dairy production to keep both the products and equipment from overheating.

Plastic

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We are surrounded by plastic. Containers, toys, electronics, furniture, office supplies, beauty items and even clothing almost always have some sort of plastic element.

Process engineers working in plastics know that cooling effectiveness during extrusion and molding makes the difference between a commercially viable product or an expensive misshapen pile of spent polymers (and dissatisfied customers). Achieving and maintaining ideal temperatures is critical to high-quality plastic goods.

Printed Materials

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Even in an era of e-readers, there’s still printed goods all around us: packaging, magazine, books, brochures, posters, and newspapers, just to name a few.

During the printing process heat is generated due to friction within the system. In order to avoid damage or slowed production, cooling is vital.

Jewelry, Coins, and Badges

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While not everyone is familiar with electrical discharge machinery (EDM), most people probably have a piece of jewelry, decorative buckle, metal badge, or coin that’s been manufactured with the help of EDM. EDM is also used to create the intricate cuts and holes needed for certain technology.

EDM uses electrical discharges to shape the materials being cut to the desired measurements. This process is extremely accurate, and is usually used on hard materials. The water used in this process can heat up very quickly, requiring robust cooling solutions to maintain the ideal temperature for optimal performance.  During the EDM process, some metal enters the water as small particles. Deionized water helps to promote a higher metal removal rate and enhances the machine’s capacity to deliver a more precise cut.

Metal Items

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Welding is a crucial part of creating kitchen appliances, buildings, cars, and more. Essentially, if it has a metal element, it probably requires welding.

Because welding uses such extreme high temperatures, effective cooling is critical to a successful weld. When welding equipment is properly cooled, there is  decreased equipment downtime and higher, more uniform quality.

Internet Technology, Surgery and Entertainment

Ever wondered how internet data can be transmitted from one computer to millions across the country or even the world? Internet data is comprised of a series of 1’s and 0’s which are communicated via a laser beam turning on (1) and off (0). These 1’s and 0’s from the laser are carried through fiber optic cables at close to the speed of light (299,792,458 meters per second).

Other popular and common applications of laser technology include surgery (laser eye surgery), and entertainment. DVD and Blu-Ray players use lasers to read information off of disks.

Due to the high temperatures that come with laser use, a cooling system is used to mitigate heat and stabilize equipment for optimal laser performance. Cooling helps extend the lifespan of equipment by preventing overheating. Maintaining consistent temperatures also preserves the accuracy of the laser for longer periods of time.

Cooling from North Slope Chillers

For each of the products and processes listed above, proper cooling can be the difference between a top product and damaged goods. North Slope Chillers offers high-quality, dependable chiller systems and accessories, including custom options. For more information about our product offerings, give us a call at (866) 826-2993.

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.