The 6 Step Guide to Choosing the Best Chiller for your Application

Heat is a single common by-product of today‘s manufacturing machines that include the advanced automation technology required for both high speed operation and high precision. Components such as spindle motors, variable frequency drives, laser and x-ray sources all require cooling to operate properly and reliably – most often in the very adverse manufacturing environments.

With manufacturing space at a premium, machine packages have become smaller and liquid cooling has emerged as the most efficient and economical means of removing process heat. Liquid cooling is especially well adapted to hot, dirty environments, where it provides a method of removing the heat from the machine and not contributing additional heat back into the environment.


A quick guide to choosing the correct chiller:

As each industrial environment is different, Pfannenberg designed a 6-steps guide to help you select the proper chiller for your application:

Step 1: Determine the Heat Load

It is important to determine the heat load of your application to ensure the chosen chiller is big enough for the intended application.There are several ways to determine the heat load (in BTU) but understanding the process is essential to calculating an accurate heat load.


Step 2: Determine the Coolant Type, Temperature & Flow Rate

When the heat load is known, the next step is to determine the coolant, its target temperature and the flow rate that the chiller must provide to the process. This is determined by the method from which the heat is transferred from the process to the coolant and the type of coolant being used. For example, water has different characteristics than oil.


Step 3: Identify Installation Environment

In what environment the chiller will be installed? Indoor applications for example can see high temperatures and dirty atmospheres, while outdoor installations can experience both low and high ambient temperatures. This can effect chiller sizing and require accessories such as air filters, sump heaters, etc.


Step 4: Use Chiller performance curves

Now use the chiller performance curves available to select a chiller model that meets or exceeds the required capacity based on the chilled water supply temperature and the highest expected ambient air temperature. Consideration should be given to the safety margin of the application with respect to available frame sizes to maximize the value of the chiller selection. Find all Pfannenberg Chillers Performance Curves on Thermal Management Catalog.


Step 5: Check Pump performance curves

Check the pump performance curves available to ensure that the pump will provide enough pressure at the design flow rate to satisfy the application. Some liquid cooled systems have small coolant flow paths or longer distances that can have higher than average pressure losses.


Step 6: Final Selection

Finally, consider that the remaining application requirements such as power characteristics, control options, footprint, agency listing, color, etc. are met by the selected standard Pfannenberg chiller. Choosing a standard chiller will bring you greater reliability, easier service with common spare parts and global support.

>> Click here to download the PDF version of this guide.


Pfannenberg offers a versatile range of packaged chillers, ranging in sizes from less than ½ Ton to 30 Tons insuring the proper capacity available for most applications. These packaged chillers are ready to use requiring only piping and power to install as part of your solution for process cooling applications – we‘ll even provide the coolant. Ethylene & Propylene Glycol coolants, with proper corrosion inhibitors are available in a variety of packaging options – both full strength and pre-mixed. Each chiller model includes the pump, tank, refrigeration system and controls required for simple installation and reliable, efficient operation.

Our knowledgeable applications staff is always on hand to discuss the application and to make sure that a proper selection is made. With our many available equipment options we can easily customize our standard chillers to meet specific application requirements.

Contact our engineering team for more information!

Stronger than the elements – Pfannenberg’s DTS 3000 series Outdoor Thermal Management Devices

When conditions are harsh you can count on Pfannenberg’s DTS 3000 series cooling units to protect your electronics in extreme heat, cold, wet or dusty environments.

System integrators and planners often struggle with the thermal management of electrical enclosures in outdoor applications: extreme temperatures, moisture and dust are particularly challenging with some applications exposed to the elements 24/7. Pfannenberg, the world leader in the Thermal Management of electrical enclosures, has designed a range of cooling units which represent a solution to providing protection in these harsh environments.

DTS cooling Units

Pfannenberg’s DTS 3000 series Cooling Units, cooling capacity from 300W to 6.3kW, are suitable for use in demanding outdoor locations. These products are categorized in protection classes NEMA Type 4/4X and IP 66. Pfannenberg also offers heatersthermostats and hygrostats to prevent the formation of damaging condensation.

Typically, these cooling units are used for applications in demanding environments such as deserts or extreme cold, in buildings, traffic and energy technology, in sewage and water treatment plants and in metal production/processing. They are also found in other harsh manufacturing systems for cement and building materials, the timber industry, wind,  water power generation and photo voltaic applications. Users even rely on these versatile devices in mobile equipment. Pfannenberg’s DTS 3000 series cooling units are therefore making a contribution to the energy transition.

“Pfannenberg is focusing on the growing global market for demanding outdoor cooling systems. We have have a name in the thermal management of electrical enclosures for indoor applications and with an extremely broad portfolio of devices which also meet the NEMA standard, we can cover almost every application scenario,” says Jörg Achenbach, Regional Product Manager, Thermal Management for Pfannenberg EMEA.

“Outdoor conditions are often extreme: wildly fluctuating weather situations like rain, frost and heat all present problems as do a high concentration of particles in the air, hail, snowstorms, aggressive vapors and cleaning with powerful water jets and cleaning materials. Pfannenberg offers solutions in the DTS 3000 series for all these environmental conditions, with models that can operate in temperatures ranging from -40 °F to maximum 140 °F”, explains Achenbach.

 

Robust and reliable

Pfannenberg’s DTS 3000 series offer powder-coated NEMA 3R/4 but also Type 4/4X 304 Stainless Steel units for use under the toughest conditions. A hermetically sealed cooling circuit not only ensures prevention of leaks, but also makes topping up with coolant unnecessary. Systems to protect against thermal overload, corrosion and excess pressure ensure that these outdoor cooling units have a longer operational life.

 

Dust and moisture remain outside

To prevent ingress of foreign bodies, dust or water, Pfannenberg’s outdoor cooling units meet the requirements of IP 56 and N3R protection classes as standard. Also, the DTS 3000 outdoor units condensers fins are 3 mm apart which makes them less likely to trap dust. One of the advantages of this design is that the units are almost completely maintenance free – even with very high concentration of particulate in the air.

 

Low Ambient (LA) equipment package for low temperatures

The Low Ambient (LA) anti-frost package has an integrated enclosure heater and an intelligent fan control system to ensure that the machinery operates without interruption and provides excellent protection from condensation at temperatures as low as -40 °F. The extracted moisture evaporates in the device before it can cause damaging short circuits in the enclosure. The package also includes a safety overflow and a thermostat which can be installed in the enclosure. The LA package is available with cooling capacities from 700W to more than 5kW for the DTS 3000 cooling units. The integrated electrical enclosure heater, which is very easy to install, is offered in versions up to 3kW.

 

High Temperature (HT) package for extreme heat

The High Temperature (HT) package has a temperature-stable compressor and a large condenser for reliable protection of enclosure components at exceptionally high temperatures up to 140 °F. The HT package is available for compact 700W cooling devices and also for large, powerful solutions up to 3200W.

 

Even better equipped

Compact fan heater with thermostat

As a useful addition to the outdoor cooling devices, Pfannenberg offers 10W – 1200W supplementary heatersthermostats and hygrostats for monitoring relative humidity levels. Depending on the application, this additional equipment offers further protection from condensation and corrosion and helps to optimize the energy/cost ratio. 

As a system: cooling units, heaters, thermostats and hygrostats will ensure that the environment within the enclosure is ideal for performance and service life of the critical electronics.

 


Have a question regarding which equipment is best for your application? Contact our engineering team for more information!


Pfannenberg, Inc. is a global manufacturer of Thermal Management, Liquid Cooling Solutions and Signaling Technologies.

Pfannenberg is proud to provide solutions as a single source to its customers. Our business philosophy – Protection for man, machine and the environment.