Chiller & Cooling Best Practices — Industrial Utility Efficiency

Discover how to maximize the lifecycle reliability and uptime of industrial cooling tower gearboxes by looking beyond basic catalog ratings. This article outlines an essential standards framework—combining ANSI/AGMA, CTI, and ISO guidelines—to address severe operating environments characterized by moisture, high heat, and heavy fan loads. Learn why a system-level approach incorporating rigorous service factors, purpose-built lubrication, effective sealing, and vibration monitoring is vital to prevent catastrophic downtime and lower the total cost of ownership in heat-intensive operations.

The transition to low-GWP refrigerants is changing glycol chiller design, safety and compliance requirements. This article examines how A2L and R-290 refrigerants affect refrigerant charge, system architecture, leak detection, ventilation and performance validation, while highlighting key considerations under EPA, ASHRAE and ICC requirements.

A Midwest water utility replaced once-through engine cooling with closed-loop fluid cooler systems to eliminate nearly one million gallons of annual potable water consumption while improving operational reliability. This case study examines the engineering evaluation process, fluid cooler selection, pump skid design, piping optimization, glycol-based heat transfer, variable-frequency drive controls and lessons learned during commissioning. The project demonstrates how closed-loop cooling systems can reduce water use, enhance redundancy and provide a sustainable alternative for industrial engine cooling applications.

As water availability, quality and regulatory requirements become increasingly critical, evaporative cooling systems must be engineered with water management at the forefront. This article examines how alternative water sources—including reclaimed wastewater, rainwater, HVAC condensate, graywater and process water—affect cooling tower performance, cycles of concentration, corrosion, scaling and microbiological control. It also explores adaptive treatment strategies, lifecycle economics and system design considerations that enable facilities to reduce potable water consumption while maintaining reliable, efficient and compliant cooling system operation.

Corix Cleveland Thermal is modernizing its century-old district energy system with new chiller strategies, upgraded cooling towers and sustainable water management practices. This article explores how the utility optimizes seasonal chilled water production, recovers condensate for cooling tower makeup, and prepares for future growth with a more flexible, energy-efficient cooling infrastructure.