COMPARISON OF CENTRAL AND PORTABLE PROCESS LIQUID CHILLERS

FYI Document #265

Portable and central liquid chillers have their place in the heat transfer market.

But if selected improperly or expected to perform beyond design specifications, then issues will arise along with operator frustration.

Although Central and Portable liquid process chillers are refrigeration devices for process cooling and heat transfer, they are two different breeds.

PORTABLE liquid chillers are designed to cool one use point.

CENTRAL chillers are designed to provide cooling water to an entire facility and servicing multiple use points.

Since the objectives of these chillers are radically different, they therefore, are different. In some cases portable chillers can be ‘modified’ with some standard options to act as a central chiller. However, the portable chiller does not and will not provide all the benefits of a central chiller.

This comparison pertains to Advantage Engineering Maximum portable chillers and Titan central chillers.

SUBJECTS

REFRIGERANT CIRCUITS:
Quantity of refrigeration circuits
Expandability:
Capacity staging:
Redundancy (i.e. backup):
Air discharge (air condensed units):

FLUID COOLANT:
Quantity of use points (typical):
Reservoir capacity:
Fluid flywheel:
Thermal mass:
Dedicated evaporator pump:
Dedicated process pump:
Low flow bypass:
Pump Redundancy (i.e. backup):
Larger pumping capability:
Drain back prevention:

INSTRUMENTATION:
Controller:
Redundancy (i.e. back up):

INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS:

For more information about liquid chiller refrigerant line sizing for remote air-cooled condensers call the Advantage Sales Department at 317-887-0729.