A Simple Explanation of the Basic Differences Between Water Chillers And Glycol Chillers
Chillers are heat transfer devices that use a cooling medium to cool the fluid passing through the device. There are two main types of chillers: glycol and water chillers.
Water chillers use water as the cooling medium. Glycol chillers use a non-toxic, non-flammable, and biologically inert fluid called glycol as the cooling medium.
Water is cheaper than glycol
Glycol is more easily recycled into other materials
Glycol does not corrode pipe linings
Fire protection systems must be maintained
The pipes for water chillers need to be insulated
A warmer environment is needed if water is used as the cooling agent
What is a Water Chiller?
A water chiller is a type of equipment that cools water by making it circulate through a coil submerged in a cold fluid.
There are 2 main types of water chillers: air cooled, and liquid cooled. Air cooled chillers use some form of air conditioner to cool the circulating fluid while liquid chilled chillers circulate the circulated fluid through a special, usually cold-water-based, cooling coil.
What is a Glycol Chiller?
Glycol chiller is the machine that cools down glycol or “anti-freezing” fluid.
A glycol chiller is a refrigerator which uses cold water to cool down glycol or “anti-freezing” fluid. It is typically used for large scale cooling of anti-freezing liquids.
How do they work?
Glycol chillers are used in industrial processes to cool high temperature process fluids. These fluids are usually above the boiling temperature of water.
There are four main components in a glycol chiller: an evaporator vessel, a condenser, an expansion vessel and an impeller pump. The evaporator vessel is where the glycol is heated up and vaporized into a refrigerant fluid. The hot vapour then passes through the condenser which absorbs heat from it and converts it back to liquid glycol. This cold fluid is then pumped through the expansion vessels to reduce its pressure before returning back to the evaporator for further heating.
Why should I get a glycol chiller or water chiller?
An air-cooled glycol chiller is a refrigeration device that aims to keep a process fluid cool. The fluid coolant is pumped through the glycol chiller which uses a cooling agent, such as glycol, to cool the coils inside.
Water chillers are primarily used for cooling water and some fluids. In order to use a water chiller as a substitute for an air-cooled glycol chiller, it would have to be cleaned and sanitized according to EPA standards before being put back into service.
If you want the best of both worlds – high-quality cooling with lower operating costs – then you should get both!
What to Consider When Purchasing a Glycol Chiller or Water Chiller (biocides, condenser, copper pipe diameter)
Glycol chillers are used when it is desired to be able to store the chilled water at a much lower temperature than when it is in use. This type of chiller can be set up to operate in stores, supermarkets, stores-in-store, hospitals, food processing plants and factories.
Water chillers are produced with various types of cooling methods. Some units will only work with water while others can also handle glycol fluids. It may also be necessary to consider the size of the copper pipe that will be used in the system.
Water Coolers vs. Glycol Chillers – Pros and Cons of Each Cooling Method for Your Facility
Water chillers are a popular choice when it comes to cooling water. This is because they are a more affordable option. They can be used in conjunction with a glycol chiller to provide the benefits of both methods of cooling water for your facility.
A major advantage of using a glycol chiller is that it has a lower risk of freezing up in colder climates and it has better energy efficiency compared to a water chiller.
How to Choose Which One Best Fits Your Needs
There are different types of chiller systems which differ in terms of efficiency. The efficiency is calculated by dividing the total cooling load (in BTU) by the total energy usage (in kWh) per hour.
Glycol chillers are more efficient than water chillers because they use less energy to achieve the same result.
If you want to save on your HVAC budget, then you should opt for a glycol chiller instead of a water chiller. Glycol-based systems are more efficient than water-based ones, so you will spend less on operating expenses over time with glycol or other cooling fluids.
The most popular type of glycol vaporator is the Direct Expansion (DX) cooler which achieves high efficiency rates with moderate costs and installation complexity.
