​Difference Between Air-cooled Chillers And Water-cooled Chillers

Often asked the question of which is better air-cooled and water-cooled, the next air-cooled chiller supplier will discuss with you to compare air-cooled and water-cooled how to choose combined with practical experience to do the following discussion.

Do you know the difference between air-cooled chillers and water-cooled chillers?

1.System structure

Air-cooled chiller units use the air cooling method (fan cooling); water-cooled units use the cooling water cooling method, by the pump plus cooling tower and circulation pipeline to the unit for circulation cooling. From the installation mode of water cooling, it can be divided into two types: built-in water cooling and external water cooling. For built-in water cooling, it mainly consists of radiator, water pipe, water pump and sufficient water source, which predestines most water cooling cooling systems to be large in size and requires sufficient space in the chassis. Therefore, air-cooled units require only an air-cooled condenser, i.e. a fan. Water-cooled chillers, on the other hand, need to be equipped with cooling towers, pumps and circulation piping. Structurally, the water-cooled type is more complex than the air-cooled type.

2. Application range

Air-cooled chillers are suitable for areas with tight water supply; the longer the annual running time of the refrigeration system, the more favorable the use of air-cooled chillers; the annual comprehensive cost of air-cooled chillers is lower than that of water-cooled systems, but if the water-cooled system is properly managed and the water replenishment is controlled at less than 3%, the annual cost of water-cooled units is lower than that of air-cooled systems.

The air-cooled chiller adopts the air-cooling method, which eliminates the essential cooling tower, cooling water pump and piping system in the cooling water system, avoids condenser scaling and water pipe blockage caused by poor water quality, saves water resources, and is the most economical and simple type of refrigeration equipment, which is easy to maintain and repair.

  Air-Cooled Chiller

Air-cooled chillers

Comparison of air-cooled and water-cooled requirements

Water-cooled chillers

The cooling tower and cooling water circulation pump in the water-cooled scheme can be set in the open air on the roof, and the chiller system is generally required to be set in the equipment layer of the machine room. The foundation of the unit and chilled water pump should be soundproof and vibration isolated, and the machine room can be set in any location in the basement or on the roof.

Air-cooled chillers

In the air-cooled scheme, there is no cooling tower, no cooling water circulation pump, only the refrigeration unit and chilled water pump and piping system. The above-mentioned equipment can be set on the roof of the building, the base of the equipment only needs to take sound insulation and vibration isolation measures, does not require a special room, does not occupy the floor space, and only needs to put the net storage water in winter, completely open-air placement, which is also the biggest advantage of this air conditioning program.

However, due to the number of chiller units selected, the self-weight and operating weight are large, and placed on the roof, the design strength of the building structure is bound to increase, and because the units are placed in the open air, the four seasons of wind and rain, the service life is much shorter than that of the water-cooled units placed in the machine room, and if they are in coastal areas, the quality of the units is hardly guaranteed after running several air-conditioning seasons due to the strong alkali sea breeze.