Chilled water systems act as a centralized cooling system for an entire building or multiple buildings. This is often more practical than locating air conditioning equipment in many different locations.
While chillers are the heart of the system, their support system of components and controls also needs to be inspected and maintained to ensure system efficiency is at its best.
1. Check the Fluid Levels
The Importance of Regular Maintenance
Your chiller system has a critical role to play in your business’s operations. A properly maintained system can provide peak performance, prevent unexpected shutdowns and reduce downtime.
A key component in a reliable maintenance program is checking fluid levels. Low fluid levels can result in costly damage to the heat exchangers and pumps.
Chillers require a specific type of glycol to ensure efficient heat transfer and prevent freezing at low temperatures. Glycols come in a variety of formulations and mixing ratios depending on the application.
The level of glycol in your chilled water systems can be determined by a flow switch that monitors the system’s liquid concentration. This requires regular cleaning to remove any slime that can form on the sensor.
Keeping an inventory of fluid levels, pressure, and flow rates throughout the day is essential to the performance and efficiency of your chiller. This daily log can be compared with the manufacturer’s design guide and can help identify issues and correct them before they cause problems that affect performance.
2. Clean the Condenser Tubes
Regular cleaning of the condenser tubes is an important component of maintaining thermal efficiency and extending equipment life. It can help prevent deposits from building up inside the tubes, which can impede heat transfer and lead to tube corrosion and failure.
There are several different methods that can be used to clean chiller tubes. Some of them include chemical treatment and mechanical brushing.
The chemical treatment uses acid solutions to circulate through the tubes in order to break down scale deposits and other buildups that can impede heat transfer and contaminate water. However, it is a time-consuming and expensive method that requires specialized training and expertise to operate safely.
Moreover, chemicals can sometimes leave behind toxic residues that are difficult to get rid of and pose health risks for those working with them. This is why more eco-friendly and less expensive technologies are often employed to clean chiller tubes. Projectile tube cleaning is one of the fastest and most effective ways to clean tubes without compromising on safety or quality.
3. Check the Electrical Connections
One of the most important components of any Chilled Water Optimization system is the electricity that runs it. This can come in the form of a simple circuit, such as a single 30-amp double pole breaker at the water heater, or a more complex 240-volt service that feeds multiple devices, including pumps and chillers.
Checking out the electrical connections for your cooling system is a good idea in itself, but it can be especially useful for identifying potential problems and troubleshooting malfunctions. For example, you can check out the temperature and flow rates of the condenser water to optimize your energy usage or check out the efficiencies of variable frequency drives to reduce electrical load and improve performance. The best way to do this is with an energy audit from a certified expert. The results will help you identify areas of improvement and save money on utility bills. In the end, your building will be a more comfortable place to live and work.
4. Check the Pressure
One way to check the pressure on your home’s water supply is by using a simple pressure gauge from your local hardware store. Simply screw it onto any hose bib and turn the water on to get an accurate reading of the water pressure in your home.
If the pressure is between 40 and 60 psi typically, then you should be fine; but if it consistently reads above 80 psi, then you likely need a water pressure regulator installed.
Pressure regulators work by reducing the supply pressure of a building’s water system to a lower outlet pressure. This ensures that the water pressure in your pipes remains within safe limits.
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