Components of a Comprehensive Chiller Replacement

Analysis: How to Make Replacement Easy

Mark Harbin, Manager of Compliance Information Services,
Environmental Support Solutions ([Link])

In March’s column, Mark Harbin, Compliance Information Services Manager with

Environmental Support Solutions discussed what to consider before deciding to convert, retrofit
or replace any chiller model. This month, he looks at how to streamline the replacement process
to make it as cost effective and easy as possible.

After presenting all the conversion, retrofit or replacement options available, the owner of your
company has made the decision to replace a chiller. The next stage in your investigation should
be a chiller replacement analysis.

Components of a comprehensive chiller replacement analysis:

1. Overall system condition. Inspect the electrical system including starters, conductors, main
feeds and conduits. Cooling towers, pumps, and air handlers should be checked to see if they
will need to be replaced or rebuilt. Vibration analysis can reveal potential bearing and balance
problems. Piping, valves and fittings must be checked for integrity to avoid surprises. Use
ASHRAE Standard 15 mechanical room design considerations as part of any professional
recommendation.

2. System characteristics. Cooling requirements, load conditions and times are important issues
to investigate. For example, a facility that needs 500 tons at peak load, but for only 30 days
out of the year, and the rest of the year needs only 250 tons, will appreciate a
recommendation for a chiller that performs well in the 50 percent range.
Knowing which energy sources a chiller uses, or could potentially use, can help curb energy
costs. A facility with excess steam generation capacity might consider a turbine-driven
centrifugal chiller or an absorption chiller. A hybrid central plant using electricity and gas to
power chillers can curtail high demand charges and potential service outages.

3. Budget considerations. Some owners may want to phase in chiller replacement projects due
to budget constraints. In this situation, contractors could suggest owners investigate three
potential energy saving options:

• Lease purchase or “guarantee” options that help fund a complete project.

• Incentives and energy grants offered by utilities or the Federal Department of Energy.

• Combining a chiller project with other projects, such as lighting system

modernization. This strategy sometimes can improve energy savings, and the
likelihood that the project will be approved by management.
4. Equipment availability and lead-times. In recent years, demand for the new generation of
chillers has doubled the average lead-time. To help reduce the wait time for your chiller,
consider seasonal stocking programs offered by manufacturers.
5. Energy efficiency measures. Be sure to get performance ratings on all chiller selections and
quotes. Less efficient chillers are inexpensive, but sometimes a more expensive chiller can
deliver the extra energy savings that can win approval for a project. Part-load ratings are
better than full load ratings as an indicator of a chiller’s energy efficiency throughout its
entire operating range.

Chiller technology alternatives

The recent emergence of new, high efficiency chillers is unprecedented in the history of the
industry. Owners of CFC chillers are faced with a bewildering array of choices when they decide
to consider replacement. In many cases it is up to the contractor to help the owner review and
analyze the alternatives.

Two main energy sources are available for running chillers: electricity and natural gas  this
includes steam and waste heat.

Electric chillers include centrifugal, screw, reciprocating and scroll compressors.

1. Electric centrifugals have moderate space requirements and noise levels. They range in
capacity from 150 to 2000 tons for standard production units. Nearly 80 percent of chillers in
the Untied States weigh less than 500 tons. This technology has the most flexibility in
refrigerant usage including R-22, R-134a, and R-123. Efficiency ratings of less than .50
kW/ton are now quite common. Variable speed drives also can increase the part load
efficiency into the .2 kW/ton range.

2. Screw , also known as rotary, technology recently crossed over from the industrial
refrigeration sector to the comfort cooling sector. Like centrifugals, they don’t require much
space in a mechanical room, but their noise profiles are significantly higher than centrifugals.
This presents a challenge for replacement projects where the chiller location is close to
occupied spaces. Sound attenuation shrouds, vibration isolators, or additional chiller room
insulation may be required to avoid potential noise complaints. Tonnage ranges and
efficiencies are similar to centrifugals, however they cannot utilize variable speed drives, so
the lowest kW/ton ratings usually don’t get below the .40 threshold. Refrigerants that can be
used include R-22, R-134a, and most recently R-410a.

3. Reciprocating technology, which has been around since the beginning of commercial
refrigeration, is most noted for its rugged design and ability to be rebuilt in the field, but less
so for its energy efficiency. Space requirements are minimal, and noise and vibration levels
are medium to high. Their capacity roughly ranges from 50 to 450 tons and their overall
efficiency is a relatively unspectacular .80 kW/ton.
4. Scroll technology is rapidly overtaking the niche of reciprocating chillers in comfort cooling.
They provide small size, low noise and vibration, and good efficiency. Available in air-
cooled and water cooled configurations, scroll chiller capacity can reach approximately 65
tons, which makes them good candidates for spot cooling or make-up cooling applications.
For example, a facility that loses 150 tons of cooling capacity after it converts its chillers may
want to consider adding a couple of small scroll chillers to make up the difference.

Gas chillers include direct and indirect fired absorbers, and gas engine-driven centrifugals.
1. Absorption chillers have fairly large space requirements and very low noise profiles. Direct-
fired units can use natural gas and fuel oil as energy sources. Indirect-fired units can be
powered with high- or low-pressure steam and hot water. In fact, some facilities use waste
heated water to run absorbers. Tonnage for these units can range from 150 to 1,500 tons.
Most impressive is that they use water as a refrigerant. Their efficiency ranges from a 1.2 to
1.8 coefficient of performance depending on heat input and water flows. This technology is
useful where electricity and demand rates are high, and where it is less susceptible to service
faults or outages.

2. Natural gas engine-driven centrifugal chillers are somewhat new to the scene. They are big
and relatively noisy, even with sound attenuation. They tout very high energy efficiency with
a coefficient of performance of up to 2.0 when used in conjunction with a heat recovery
option. Refrigerants that can be used in these systems include R-22 and R-134a. Their
tonnage ranges from 150 to 1,200 tons. Maintenance costs of natural gas engine-driven
centrifugal chillers can be relatively high due to the fact that there is a combustion engine that
needs periodic tune-ups and overhauls in addition to normal centrifugal chiller maintenance.

Environmental Support Solutions ([Link]), Tempe, Ariz. provides compliance software,

training and consulting to organizations affected by refrigerant, indoor air quality, waste, and
health & safety issues. For more information e-mail [Link] at info@[Link], call them
at 1-800-289-6116 ext. 1 or visit their compliance information center Web site at
[Link].