RATIONAL USE OF ENERGY

in cooling 13/07/2006

© LABORELEC
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Introduction

„ Introduction to cooling
„ Different types of cooling
ƒ Dry Cooling
ƒ Evaporative Cooling
ƒ Compression Cooling (chiller)
„ Energy savings potential on cooling
installations
„ Examples
„ Conclusions

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INTRODUCTION

Why cooling?

Cooling of spaces (persons, products,…)

Removing waste heat (process cooling)

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 Introduction
Chilled water
(Twater ≈ 5 °C)

Cooling towers
(Twater ≈ 20 °C)

Cold rooms, etc.

(Tair ≈ -10 … - 30 °C)

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INTRODUCTION

„ Expensive form of energy

„ More expensive as required T° drops
⇒ Produce with the most efficient method

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TYPES OF COOLING

„ Dry cooling
90% of
„ Wet cooling (by evaporation) applications
„ Compression cooling
„ (Absorption cooling)
„ (Gas expansion)
„ (Thermo-electric cooling)

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TYPES OF COOLING

T (°C)
DRY COOLING
40

35
EVAPORATIVE COOLING
(open, closed, hybrid,…)
25

20
COMPRESSION COOLING
(CHILLER)
(aircooled, watercooled)

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DRY COOLING
„ Outside air is used to cool the medium
ƒ Limited by outside air temperature
„ Advantages
ƒ No water treatment necessary
ƒ No additional costs for water consumption
ƒ Less maintenance costs

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EVAPORATIVE COOLING

„ Advantages
ƒ Reduced ground area (higher thermal
power/m²)
ƒ More efficient heat exchange
ƒ Less electrical consumption
ƒ Limits set by wet bulb temperature
„ Disadvantages
ƒ Substantial water consumption
ƒ Water treatment may be necessary

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EVAPORATIVE COOLING

„ Types of cooling towers

ƒ Open cooling tower
ƒ Closed cooling tower
ƒ Evaporative condenser
ƒ Hybrid cooling tower (combination of dry and
wet cooling principles)

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EVAPORATIVE COOLING
„ Open cooling
tower

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EVAPORATIVE COOLING
„ Closed cooling tower and
Evaporative condensor

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EVAPORATIVE COOLING
„ Hybrid cooling tower
ƒ Dry mode (as much as possible)
ƒ Adiabatic mode (dry air temperature too high for dry cooling)
ƒ Combined dry/wet mode (max power)
Advantages
ƒ No water use when in dry mode, so savings on water cost
ƒ In combined dry/wet mode there is no visible plume
Disadvantages
ƒ High initial cost
ƒ No energy savings on electricity

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COMPRESSION COOLING
„ 4 main components
High Pressure

condensor

Liquid expansion Gas

valve compressor

evaporator

Low pressure

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COMPRESSION COOLING
Performance of a cooling machine : COP
Pevaporator Qf Tev
COP = = = × ηc
Pelectrical W Tcd − Tev

With:
Qf : thermal power at evaporator (kWth)
W: electrical power at compressor (kW)
Tev : evaporating temperature (K)
Tcd: condensing temperature (K)
ηc : rendement of Carnot
Example:
Tev = -5 °C (=> 268 K)
Tcd = 35 °C (=> 308 K)
ηc = 0,5
Increase efficiency: T1 Ò , TCOP
2Ô = 3,35

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 1

„ Optimise condensing and evaporating

temperatures
Pevaporator Qf Tev
COP = = = × ηc
Pelectrical W Tcd − Tev

ƒ Condensing temperature as low as possible

ƒ Evaporating temperature as high as possible

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 2

„ No exaggerated overdimensioning

ƒ Why?
• To cope with reduced efficiency throughout the years
• To much reserve taken in design point
ƒ Consequences:
• Installation working under nominal working point
• Reduced efficiency

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 3

„ Use of frequency drives

ƒ Most of the time the drives have a reduced load
ƒ Applicable on pumps, compressors, fans

Advantages:
ƒ Energy savings on electricity
ƒ Better regulation off required process value (more
stable)

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 4

„ Higher COP with direct cooling

ƒ Direct cooling is the method where the evaporation
is present in the medium to be cooled (for
example: evaporator in cold storage rooms).
ƒ No secundary fluids if possible
Primary circuit (refrigerant)
-10°C EVAPORATOR
-5°C

HEAT
EXCHANGER

- 5°C 0°C
Secundary circuit (glycol-water)

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 5

„ Central systems often consume less energy

ƒ Base load is likely to be more stable, so frequent
regime changes are avoided
ƒ Sometimes less efficient due to large losses in the
conduits resulting from important distances
between user and cold production.

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 6

„ Use of “free cooling” if

possible Cooling
ƒ Use of cooling towers Tower
during periods with lower
outside temperatures.
ƒ Especially interesting if Chiller
cooling temperature is
above 15°C

Tsetpoint
Only when outside Twb < T setpoint
Proces

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 7
„ Heat recovery (where possible)
ƒ In cooling a lot of heat is pumped from one place to
another (mostly to the environment)
ƒ If there are other processes which need (pre-)
heating, the cooling and heating process can be
combined.
ƒ Example: slaughterhouse
• cooling is required to cool the animal carcasses
• heating of water for cleaning purposes.
Energy savings through heat recuperation:
• Electrical savings as condenser load diminishes
• Gas bill is smaller due to less heat required for heating

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ENERGY SAVINGS - 8

„ Intelligent defrosting systems

ƒ Defrosting is necessary when there is ice buildup on
the evaporator (for example in cold rooms on the
evaporators). Ice insulates and ice buildup thus
quickly reduces efficiency
2 Types
ƒ Clock regulated
defrosting with set
duration
ƒ Intelligent systems which
determines moment and
duration of defrost cycle
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ENERGY SAVING EXAMPLES - 1
„ Changing setpoint of cooling towers
Initial situation New situation
Cooling Cooling
towers towers

24°C
20°C Process
Process

Process Process
Process Process

Energy savings depending

on size and design of
cooling tower!
(40% in this particular case)
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ENERGY SAVING EXAMPLES - 2
„ Frequency regulation on fans of cooling tower
Initial situation New situation
Regulation on/off Frequency regulation
Cooling Cooling
towers towers

22°C 22°C
Process Process

Process Process Process Process

Energy savings, depending

on load profile, of up to 50%
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 ENERGY SAVING EXAMPLES - 3
„ Centralised regulation of chiller compressors
Initial situation New situation

1 1

CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 CH5 CH6 CH7 CH 1 CH 2 CH 3 CH 4 CH 5 CH 6 CH 7

Process Process Process Process Process Process Process Process

Compressor load = 61 % (7 CP) Compressor load = 100 % (5 CP)

All pumps ON (7 pumps) Only 5 pumps ON

Energy savings, depending

on initial load profile, of up to 10%
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 ENERGY SAVING EXAMPLES - 4
„ “Floating” condensing pressure
HP = fixed HP = floating

Minimised kWh fans. Maximised kWh fans

Maximum kWh Compressor Minimum kWh Compressor
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Energy savings of up to 30%
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Conclusions

„ Important to choose the best setpoints to

control the installation
„ Not all regulation techniques have the same
energetical impact
„ Modification to current circuit can sometimes
bring up significant energy savings

=> In general, the ways to optimise cooling

installations are numerous

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 Thank you for your attention!

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Questions?

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