Common Problems While Operating a Industrial Chiller

 Problems while Operating a Chiller 

What is Chiller?

Chiller is a heat rejection device used to remove heat from liquids by use of refrigerant,air compressor, Condenser, expansion valve and evaporator. 

If you want to know briefly about what is Chiller and how it works, so check out our particular post on working of Chiller which links given below.

Chiller on a vapour Compression Cycle 

Let's see the Some common problems while Operating Chiller with its solutions to rectify it.

1) High Discharge Pressure:-

Some times our Chiller trips frequently and shows alarm on display that High Discharge Pressure. So this means that the Discharge pressure of compressor has been increased. 

Reasons for High Discharge Pressure.

 

A)Cooling Water temperature High:-

High Discharge Pressure problem occurs when your temperature of cooling water comes from cooling tower in Condenser increases. That high temperature of cooling water affects on a low heat exchange in Condenser, due that low heat exchange between refrigerant and cooling water your compressor Discharge pressure increases. 

Solutions:-

To reduce your cooling water temperature you to check your cooling tower.

Clean your cooling tower sump frequently to keep water clean. 

Clean your cooling tower finn's to keep required heat rejection from water.

Daily Blow-Down your cooling tower to remove dirt present at the bottom of sump. 

Add some chemicals solutions to keep your cooling water clean for long period. 

Add Anti-scalent solutions to avoid scaling in cooling water circulation lines and in cooling tower.

And Bio-sets solutions to avoid algie in your cooling water,in sump and on finn's. 

And much more ways are present to avoid increases in temperature of cooling water.

So if you keep your cooling water temperature in normal Operating range then Chiller high Discharge pressure Problem will be solved. 

B)Cooling Water Inlet and outlet pressure of Condenser low:-

When Condenser inlet pressure becomes low then your Chiller trips on high Discharge Pressure. 

Reasons For Low cooling Water Pressure:-

Cooling water Transfer Pump Suction strainer Choked:-

Some time your cooling tower pumps Suction strainer chokes because of algie or dirt present in cooling water which trapped in strainer.  

Solutions:-

You need to clean your strainer frequently to avoid choking of the strainer. 

Some other problems also reduces your cooling water pressure like leakages in circulation lines, pumps Discharge problems, pump mechanical seals problems. 

So you need to check this point also to avoid low pressure problems. 

C)Low Heat exchange Due to Condenser Tubes Choked:-

When your Condenser Delta-T increases that means that the your Condenser tubes are Choked. Due to the Choking of tubes low heat exchange happens between the refrigerant and the cooling water,Which increases the Discharge pressure of compressor.

Solutions:-

To avoid this problem clean your Condenser tubes with Anti-scalent solution circulating through the coil and then clean it with tube brush manually. After cleaning of Condenser tubes Delta-T of Condenser maintained.

C)Overcharging of refrigerant In the Chiller:-

While charging of refrigerant in a Chiller if you overcharge the refrigerant than its requirement in Chiller, then your Chiller will be trip on high Discharge pressure.

Solutions:-

Charge your Chiller with refrigerant as it required.  Do not overcharge than its requirement. So go around the Chiller and check its temperature, pressure and its sight glasses. 

D) Faulty Pressure Switch:-

If all above problems are not happened with your Chiller then check your pressure switch, whether its is good working conditions. Sometimes because of faulty switch we can occurs that problems. 

2)Low Discharge Pressure:-

Sometimes your Chiller trips on a low Discharge Pressure. So at that your compressor Discharge pressure is low that's why Chiller tripping. 

Reasons For Low Discharge Pressure:-

A) Low refrigerant in your Chiller:-

When refrigerant in your Chiller is low that its requirement then your Chiller tripped on low Discharge Pressure. 

If any refrigerant leakage in your system is available then your Refrigerant becomes low or sometimes while charging the refrigerant if we charge the low refrigerant than its requirement then that problems happens. 

Solutions:-

Check your whole system for any refrigerant leakages and rectify it to prevent leakage. 

While charging the refrigerant,charge refrigerant upto its requirement.  Not low or not high.

B)Dirty Evaporator:-

Another reason for low Discharge Pressure  is dirty evaporator which also causes the compressor Discharge Pressure  

Solutions:-

Clean your evaporator to avoid this problems.

3)High Suction Pressure:-

Sometimes your Chiller tripping on a high Suction pressure. That that means your compressor Suction pressure is high.

Reason For High Suction Pressure:-

A)Expansion valve overfeeding:-

When your expansion valve overfeeding the refrigerant that times you can found difficulty. 

So you need to check your expansion valve conditions and if it's not repairable then replace it to avoid the problem. 

B) Excessive Load:-

Sometime excessive load on Chiller can cause tha Suction pressure problem. 

So reduces some load on it and spread the load on another Chiller to avoid that problem. 

There are lots more problems occurs while Operating tha Chiller but now we have discussed just of them which commonly happens while Operating. 

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