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Industrial Water Chiller Systems

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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.

Fermentation Temperatures

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Unleash the Yeast!

Yeast is a living, breathing microorganism, and without it, beer would not exist. Like any other living organism, yeast needs to be fed and cared for in order for it to thrive.

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Pouring bag of yeast into glass container

Happy Yeast = Healthy Brew

The most important factor in yeast management is temperature. Cold temperatures can keep yeast stable and dormant for a period of time.  Warm temperatures wake yeast up and provide it with an environment in which it can activate.  If temperatures rise too high, the yeast will die.

The Fermentation Process

North Slope Chillers infographic showing the fermentation process, yeast + sugar = carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol

In the ideal temperature range and in the presence of sugars, yeast breaks down the glucose (C6H12O6) into ethyl alcohol or ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and carbon dioxide (CO2). There are many factors involved in the fermentation process that have an overall effect on the appearance, aroma, and flavor of the finished brew:

  • Yeast strain
  • Sugar type (from the wort)
  • Sugar amount
  • Fermentation length
  • Fermentation temperature

What happens when yeast ferments at incorrect temperatures?

The fermentation process naturally generates its own heat. When yeast gets too hot while fermenting it can produce a higher level of fruity esters and heavier fusel alcohols. This can adversely affect the finished flavor and alcohol levels of your brew.

Yeast Laboratories

There are many yeast laboratories that cultivate, store, and supply dry and liquid yeast strains to craft and home brewers all over the world. Some of the top labs include:

  • White Labs
  • Wyeast
  • Fermentum Mobile
  • The Yeast Bay
  • Saccharolicious
  • RBY Laboratories
  • Imperial Organic Yeast
  • Jasper Yeast
  • East Coast Yeast
  • Bootleg Biology
  • RVA Yeast Labs
  • Giga Yeast
  • Omega Yeast
  • Fermentis
  • Mangrove Jack’s

Most yeast strains can be used in multiple brews, so be sure to carefully research the lab and the temperature requirements of each yeast strain you order to make sure your set-up is prepared.

Fermentation Temperature Charts

Fermentation temperatures for different yeast strains can vary by dozens of degrees, so it is crucial to plan your cooling needs ahead of time. The charts below illustrate the wide array of temperature needs for White Labs yeast strains.

North Slope Chillers chart showing ale and lager yeast fermentation temperatures for White Labs yeast strains
North Slope Chillers chart showing specialty/belgian and spirits yeast fermentation temperatures for White Labs yeast strains
North Slope Chillers chart showing wild , kombucha, wine, mead, and cider yeast fermentation temperatures for White Labs yeast strains

Keeping it Cool

Craft and home brewers have used many temperature control methods like water baths, evaporative process cooling, and fermenting in cooler basements. However, all methods have vulnerabilities, requiring constant attention and maintenance. Using a fermentation chiller is the most efficient way to keep yeast strains at their optimal temperatures.

North Slope Chillers portable chillers keep your brew at exact temperatures with very little effort.

Chat with a chilling expert to find the best chiller or chilling accessory for your needs at (866) 826-2993 or by email at [email protected]. 

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.

Laser Chillers

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Lasers: The Cutting Edge

Lasers have fascinated human imagination since they were invented in 1960. Far beyond the realm of lightsabers and Bond villains, lasers have a pivotal role in products and technologies we all use every day.

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North Slope Chiller infographic showing the industrial applications of lasers

Types of Lasers

There are many different types of laser medium:

  • Solid-State
  • Gas
  • Excimer
  • Fiber
  • Disc
  • Dye
  • YAG
  • Semi-conductor/Diode

There are similarities and differences between the different laser mediums, not only in their applications, but in their wavelength ranges, power output, heat output, and cooling needs.

Laser power output spans a very large range:

North Slope Chiller infographic showing laser power output range

Low-powered lasers such as those found in laser pointers and disc readers generally have their own built-in cooling system, so they don’t generate enough heat to damage the components surrounding the laser. However high-powered lasers generate a massive amount of heat that must be removed from the laser system.

The best method for removing excess heat is using an external industrial laser process cooling system. There are many benefits to keeping a laser system cool.

Benefits of Laser Chillers

North Slope Chiller infographic showing the benefits of keeping lasers cool

Maintaining precise wavelengths

Excess heat in a laser system increases the laser wavelength and compromises the laser’s performance. 

High output efficiency

Lasers require very precise specifications in order to perform accurately. An overheating laser can be dangerous, imprecise and make it difficult to point the laser with stability.

Maintaining desired beam quality

Strong beam focus is required for precise laser work such as engraving, cutting, drilling, and printing.  A fluctuating beam is dangerous and destructive.

Reducing thermal stress

Reducing the operating temperature can protect materials, equipment, reduce maintenance, and increase the lifetime of the laser system.

North Slope Chillers industrial laser chillers optimize laser operations and keep systems running efficiently. 
Chat with a chilling expert to find the best chiller or chilling accessory for your needs at (866) 826-2993 or by email at [email protected].

50 Shades of Beer

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50 Shades of…Beer

When handed a glass of beer, first look, then taste. Let your eyes drink it in before your taste buds.  Taking a moment to experience the colorful visual appeal will enhance the experience. Let us explore the science behind the art of beer color.

download our brewing guide

The Color of Chemistry

The beer color spectrum contains a wide variety that range from pale yellow to jet black. 

North Slope Chiller infographic showing 50 shades of beer in the beer color spectrum

Color and appearance have a huge influence on which beer selection is the most appealing to various consumers. So how are all these colors produced?

There are many different factors that can influence the overall color and clarity of a brew. Some of these factors include:

  • yeast strain
  • filtration
  • aging time
  • pH level
  • oxygen level
  • hops variety
  • wort chilling
  • specialty ingredients

The factors that have the biggest impact on color variation are the chemical reactions that occur during the malting process.

There are 2 types of chemical reactions that affect final brew color:

The Maillard Reaction

The Maillard Reaction is a chemical process between amino acids and sugars that gives browned foods their specific flavor. Searing steak and toasting bread are examples of food experiencing the Maillard Reaction. Roasting grains during the malting process affects the darkness of the malt, darkness of the beer, overall taste, and aroma.

Caramelization

Caramelization is a chemical reaction that involves the browning of sugars and can occur during boiling in the malting process. The longer the boil, the darker the color of the finished beer. This process can produce sweet and buttery flavors and aromas.

Measuring Color

Through the ages categorizing beer colors has changed and become much more scientific and precise. Previous color measuring methods, such as the Lovibond scale, compared beer to pre-set color samples.  However, this method relied too much on the visual appearance of beer and could be compromised by human error such as color blindness. Brewers now have a much more precise method for measuring the wide range of subtle color options for beers, known as the SRM.

What is SRM?

The Standard Reference Method is the finished beer and malt color measurement system adopted by the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) since 1950. This method uses a spectrophotometer to measure the absorption of a specific wavelength of light through 1 cm of beer. Other brewing agencies such as the European Brewing Convention have also converted to measuring light absorption as well.

Let North Slope Chillers help you perfect your brew across the whole spectrum. Portable fermentation chillers from North Slope Chillers can keep your ingredients and equipment at optimal temperatures throughout the brewing process with very little effort.

Contact us to find the right fermentation chilling solution for your needs:

(866) 826-2993 or email us at [email protected]