Chiller Repair And Maintenance Hacks You May Need This Summer
Chillers: Natural wear and tear will eventually cause your equipment to show wear and tear symptoms. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything that can be done to improve the situation! You may limit the stress placed on your chiller equipment and unanticipated downtime and expenses by being proactive with chiller maintenance.
Let’s define a chiller before we get into the mechanics of chiller maintenance. A chiller is a machine that uses an adsorption refrigeration cycle, an absorption refrigeration cycle, or a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle to remove heat from a liquid. This liquid can be refrigerated and then passed via a heat exchanger to cool down other process streams or pieces of equipment. Finally, chillers dissipate heat; the most common liquid compositions are water and glycol.
Let’s discuss chiller upkeep and maintenance now that we know what they are. You’ve come to the right place if you want to spend less time cleaning and operating your chiller. Our team of highly qualified experts has compiled a list of the top 10 chiller maintenance tips.
1. Control Your Activities Daily
Start by keeping meticulous records of your chiller’s activities. You can determine how well your chiller performs if you collect vital data daily. Make sure that your log includes the following items:
- Temperatures
- Pressures
- Fluids of various levels
- Rates of flow calculations
- plus a great deal more
Ensure the data collection process is automated to make your procedures run more smoothly. Support employees can choose from a variety of remote monitoring options.
2. Inspect It To Ensure Its Cleanliness
Heat transfer is most efficient when tubes are clean. The effectiveness of your chiller is limited by heat resistance. Inspect your pipes for any buildup of debris, such as mud, algae, or minerals to avoid this. Give the item a thorough cleaning with a brush at least once a year.
As the approaching temperature rises, the efficiency is projected to decline. You can notice whether the weather is heading upward by keeping track of the temperature in your daily journal.
3. Ensure That The Condenser Water Is Properly Dispose Of
It’s critical to maintain high water quality in your chiller, just as it is in a boiler. It’s a good idea to install water treatment because it helps prevent corrosion and buildup inside the unit. To keep the water in your system clean, use chemical treatments that satisfy all current standards.
4. Exercise Caution When In The Water
Did you know that reducing the water temperature in your chiller can help it run more efficiently? That’s right: reducing the temperature of the water entering the condenser is one of the simplest ways to improve efficiency.
5. Go With The Flow Of Things
The amount and temperature of the water that passes through your boiler considerably impact its efficiency. Chilled water must flow at a rate of at least 3 feet per second but not more than 12 feet per second. If your flow rate goes below 3 feet per second, you risk developing laminae. When the flow rate reaches 12 feet per second, the conditions for tube erosion, which include vibration and noise, are ideal.
6. Inspect The Charge
The amount of refrigerant held in a compressor line determines how much cooling a chiller can deliver. Keep an eye on the refrigerant level to keep your facility at the proper temperature. If the levels are low, your compressor must work considerably more challenging to maintain the appropriate pressure. Make sure to top off the refrigerant as needed to keep your equipment running at its best.
The system’s leaks, air, and moisture compromise the equipment’s reliability. Make sure none of these three items are present in the room.
7. Remove All Deficiencies
The presence of air and moisture in the system jeopardizes the equipment’s dependability. The system’s efficiency is reduced by 4–7% due to non-condensable components. Because evaporators work in a vacuum, non-condensable parts can get into the system even if they shouldn’t. By purging, you can ensure that the air and moisture levels are as low as possible.
Perform a spectrometric chemical analysis on your lubrication oil at least once a year. Pressure-cooled systems, in particular, necessitate more regular checks than other cooling systems. Because magnetic friction chillers do not use oil in their manufacture, they do not require this testing. Make sure you thoroughly study the data to discover any potential issues and the oil’s quality. It will also be decided whether or not the oil needs to be topped off during this inspection.
You should also change the oil filters when changing the oil in your chiller, according to one useful recommendation.
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