You must be wondering what is the relationship between a chiller, a cooling tower, and an air handling unit when it comes to providing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) to a building. In this article, we will go over the fundamentals of the HVAC central plant to help you understand what it is all about. So, let’s dive in!
Components Of A Central Cooling Plant
The following are the primary system components of cooling tower systems:
- Chiller
- Air Handling Unit (AHU)
- Cooling Tower
- Pumps
The chiller will most likely be positioned either in the basement or on the roof, depending on the type of chiller that is being utilized in the building. Chillers on the roof are typically “air-cooled,” whereas chillers in the basement are typically “water-cooled.” However, they both fulfil the same job, which is to generate cold water for air conditioning by removing unneeded heat from the building. The sole variation is the manner in which the chiller disposes of the waste heat.
What Is The Relationship Between Cooling Towers And Chillers?
When it comes to industrial equipment, a chiller is a massive piece of machinery that is typically found in the basement or similar utility area of a building. A primary cylinder is made up of two primary cylinders: an evaporator and a condenser. Coolers are available in a variety of designs, including centrifugal, reciprocating, screw-driven, and absorption models. A cooling tower is essentially a massive heat exchanger. It is located on the roof of the building and works by blowing ambient air through a coil in order to remove heat and exhaust it to the outside. Chillers and cooling towers work together to provide air conditioning for huge spaces of any size.
Chiller
Most office buildings have a chiller, which is usually placed on the roof or in the basement. By eliminating heat from the building, the chiller’s duty is to create cold water that may be used to condition the air conditioning system. This component is responsible for the production of cold water, which is employed in the air conditioning system. It passes via a coil located inside the air handling unit, where the interior air blows over it which transfers the heat from air to water as it goes through. After that, the cooler air is free to circulate throughout the building. While the chilling tower can be chilled by using either water or air, the end result is the same in both cases, it created a cool environment for people during scorching summers.
Cooling Tower
A cooling tower is made up of a number of water pumps as well as a big basin. The pumps supply water for cooling, and the basin gathers and drains the water that has been discharged from the system. The basin is a massive hyperboloid, cylindrical, or rectangular structure composed of plastic, composite, concrete, or steel that includes the spray nozzles, cooling tower fill media, and other heat dispersion equipment. It can be either cylindrical or rectangular in shape.
The cooling tower is typically positioned on the roof of the building and serves as the last destination for any excess heat that has accumulated inside the structure. The cooling tower is equipped with a big fan that circulates air throughout the device. It is necessary to pump the condenser water up to the cooling towers, where it is sprayed into the air stream. In an open cooling tower, the cold ambient air will enter and come into direct contact with the spray of condenser water. This will allow the heat from the condenser water to pass into the air, which will then be blasted out into the surrounding environment. The condenser water then collects and returns to the chiller’s condenser, where it can be used to harvest even more energy.
Air Handling Unit
The air handling unit works in conjunction with the chilling and cooling towers to circulate and maintain the air during the process of heating, ventilation, and cooling or air conditioning. The air handler on a commercial unit is a huge box that is made up of heating and cooling coils, a blower, racks, chambers, and other components that help the air handler perform its functions. The air handler is connected to the ductwork, and the air moves from the air handling unit to the ductwork and then back to the air handler.
Depending on the size and architecture of the building, all of these components work together. If the building is big, multiple chillers and cooling towers may be required. Also, a specialized system for the server room would be needed in order to ensure that the building receives adequate air conditioning at all times.
Wrapping Up
An HVAC system of commercial or industrial proportions is required for heating and cooling an office building or other big structure in order to properly meet the needs of the entire building’s occupants. If you are a consumer, a part of a team of manufacturers or supply cooling tower parts, it is important that you have a good knowledge of how the chiller, cooling tower, and air handling unit interact with one another is essential in order to gain a better understanding of how the HVAC system of a large office building operates. This article has all the information that you would need!
