Air-cooled and Water-cooled Chiller

Air-Cooled vs. Water-Cooled Chiller: What’s the Difference?

In this era of rapid economic development in the 21st century, the industrial refrigeration industry has been recognized by more and more people. In recent years, more and more enterprises have used various types of industrial chiller, and chiller is in our life and production. Its role is also increasingly important. However, many individuals or enterprises have very vague ideas about the structure type of the chiller when they choose and purchase the chiller. For example, people sometimes do not understand what is the difference between an air-cooled chiller and a water-cooled chiller? Today Water Cooled Scroll Chiller Manufacturer will work with you to understand the structure and differences of chiller.

Chillers are essential components in HVAC and industrial process cooling systems, responsible for removing heat from fluids like water or glycol. The two main types are air-cooled chillers and water-cooled chillers. While both serve the same basic purpose — cooling — they differ significantly in design, efficiency, maintenance, and installation requirements.

What Is an Air-Cooled Chiller?

An air-cooled chiller uses ambient air to reject heat from the refrigerant. It features fans and condenser coils that dissipate heat directly into the surrounding air. These chillers are self-contained and typically installed outdoors.

What Is a Water-Cooled Chiller?

A water-cooled chiller uses water from a cooling tower to absorb and reject heat from the condenser. It requires a cooling tower, pumps, and piping, and is often installed indoors in mechanical rooms.

In fact, industrial chiller can be divided into air-cooled type and water-cooled type according to its cooling type (condenser type). The air-cooled or water-cooled here refers to the method of discharging heat generated by the chiller during the refrigeration process; however, whether it is air-cooled or water-cooled chiller, the amount of cooling it generates is provided by chilled water. What kind of structure we can call it a chiller.

Structural features of air-cooled and water-cooled chiller:

The air-cooled chiller has its own cooling fan, and the condenser adopts fin type (copper tube is aluminum fin);

Water-cooled chillers are equipped with water condensers, which are generally shell-and-tube condensers, and generally require matching cooling water towers and cooling water pumps to use.

Performance comparison of air-cooled and water-cooled chiller:

1. Advantages of Air Cooled Chiller Cooling Unit: Convenient installation. The unit has been installed with a cooling fan. No external cooling tower or cooling water pump is required. Save investment, no need to purchase cooling towers, pumps, water pipes, etc., reduce installation labor and installation cycle; it is more cost-effective for this small chiller. Easy to move: Compared with the water-cooled type, there is no cooling water pipe, which is more flexible and convenient to move; it is used in areas with insufficient water resources or poor water quality (high hardness or salty).

Disadvantages of air-cooled chiller: If the ambient temperature is high, the energy efficiency is only about 88% of that of water-cooled chiller; if the user already has a cooling water tower or pump, the investment cost of using air-cooled chiller for the first time higher than water-cooled chiller; air-cooled chiller will emit hot air to the surrounding environment during operation, and there is noise from cooling fans.

Water Cooled Chiller Machine

2.The advantages of Water Cooled Chiller Machine: Compared with air-cooled chiller, the efficiency of water-cooled chiller is much higher, even if the ambient temperature is high, the water-cooled chiller can better play a certain role in the equipment. Cooling effect. The cooling performance is relatively stable, and it can also effectively play a certain throttling effect.

Disadvantages of water-cooled chiller: installation is cumbersome, and outdoor cooling water towers and water pumps are required to be used together during use, and because the unit works with water circulation to cool down the equipment, special water management is required, and later maintenance and maintenance costs higher.

Which Chiller Should You Choose?

Choose an Air-Cooled Chiller if:

You need a simpler, plug-and-play cooling system.

You lack water resources or cooling tower infrastructure.

You operate in a moderate climate.

You prefer lower upfront costs.

Choose a Water-Cooled Chiller if:

You have high cooling loads (large buildings, factories).

Energy efficiency is a long-term priority.

Your facility has space for cooling towers and pumps.

You're operating in hot or humid climates.

Through the above overview you should be able to clearly understand and understand the differences and functions of refrigeration equipment. Both air-cooled and water-cooled chillers offer unique benefits. Air-cooled chillers are ideal for users who want easy installation, minimal maintenance, and lower upfront costs, while water-cooled chillers are better suited for large-scale operations where efficiency and long-term savings are crucial.