Chillers

Free cooling offers a highly efficient alternative to chiller-based cooling, but its success depends on effective operation and control—especially during system transitions. This article outlines practical techniques for improving the shift between chiller and free cooling modes, minimizing temperature spikes and maintaining process stability in industrial environments. It also covers strategies for enhancing chiller performance under low-temperature conditions, optimizing heat exchanger startup, setting reliable control triggers and addressing maintenance and freeze protection. With proper tuning and operation, facilities can significantly increase free cooling hours, reduce energy use and extend chiller life without risking production disruptions.

Heavy industrial processes demand robust cooling systems capable of handling extreme temperatures and continuous loads. This article explores how modern centrifugal chillers, variable speed drives (VSDs), heat pumps and smart controls are transforming process cooling performance. By moving beyond traditional oversized designs and focusing on real-world operating conditions, facilities can improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and enhance reliability. The integration of waste heat recovery and digital monitoring further enables plants to optimize energy use, extend equipment life and achieve measurable gains in operational performance.

This article examines how a natural refrigerant–based chiller was engineered to meet process cooling demands while minimizing environmental impact. It explores refrigerant selection tradeoffs, system architecture modifications required for flammable refrigerants and key design strategies such as charge reduction, mechanical isolation and safety controls. Engineers will gain practical insight into balancing efficiency, compliance and operational reliability in next-generation cooling systems.

Optimizing chiller lift is critical for improving energy efficiency, enabling heat recovery and meeting higher-temperature heat rejection demands in modern facilities. This article explain how advanced centrifugal compressor designs, variable speed drives and variable geometry diffusers enhance lift control while reducing power consumption. As heat pump applications and water constraints drive demand for higher lift performance, next-generation chiller technologies are redefining efficiency across commercial and industrial cooling systems.

Industrial manufacturers are preparing for the EPA’s 2026 mandate requiring all process cooling systems above –22°F to use refrigerants with a GWP of 700 or lower—a shift echoed by more than a dozen states and driven by global HFC phase-down commitments. This article examines the technical, regulatory and operational challenges of adopting low-GWP refrigerants, including flammability classifications, system redesign requirements, efficiency tradeoffs and the long-term implications for chiller manufacturers and end users.

Advancements in heat pump chiller technology now enable efficient recovery of low-grade waste heat, expanding applicability beyond the temperature limitations of traditional absorption systems. When integrated with AI-driven CUP optimization platforms, these systems enhance thermal efficiency, stabilize process loads, and improve overall plant performance.

The event gathered a record number of cooling system providers exhibit, a fact appreciated by the many cooling reps in attendance. “It’s been beneficial,” said Spencer Kaufman, Sales Engineer, Midwest Machinery. “There are decision-makers and people here who do a lot of design work, not only in our market but all across the country. The conversations we’ve been having have been very deep – often up to 15 minutes. The quality of the conversations has been really good.”  

In this article: Cooling for High-Speed Injection Plastic Molding Free Cooling Results in Massive Energy Savings Heat Treating Processes Require Cooling to Prevent Furnace Overheating Food Processing Cooling Needs Vary by the Specific Process Chemical Plants Need Ultra-Cold Conditions

How do you fundamentally transform the utility carbon make-up of a fully occupied, 53-story skyscraper without disrupting the high-profile tenants who depend on its seamless operation? The answer, it turned out, was not just to replace old equipment, but to completely reimagine how the building uses and reuses energy.

“ASHRAE Guideline 36 is basically a high-performance sequence of operations for large buildings, such as large manufacturing plants, hospitals and hotels. The core concept is to have our load dictate what we do, not the other way around.” — Keith Earhart.