Actuators for Chilled Water Valve - These chilled water actuators control the flow rate for a chilled water system in a data center. There are various sequences of operations for chilled water systems and the sequence of operations is usually always different from one chiller plant to another chiller plant. (more…)
Air Management in Hydronic Piping Loops - This is a secondary chilled water pump in a large pump room designated for pumps and piping in a data center. After a few minor tweaks and corrections, these pumps all operated flawlessly. There were very few issues with the secondary pump start-ups.
Unlike the primary pumps where cavitation was encountered on the primary chilled water pumps and the condenser water pumps for the chiller. The diagnosis for the cavitation of the primary pumps and the condenser water pumps was that the loops were not properly purged. This caused those pumps to cavitate.
The secondary pumps, pictured here, did not have that problem. Kudos to the team that purged the loops on this side of the chilled water system.
That was an initial installation issue. It was also a lesson in priming the system to ensure all the air purged from the loop. After all, cavitation in the pumps can cause damage to the pumps. Even after the initial installation purge, it is important to ensure air does not build up in the water piping loop. To do this we need a few devices to help purge the air before it becomes a problem. This will prevent nuisance problems such as hydronic air block in branch circuits of the loop. It will also prevent any damage that may be caused by pump cavitation as a result of too much air in the system.
This is an HVAC chilled water system cooling tower fan for a large chilled water system. Four large cooling towers for two chiller plants in a data center. Data center cooling systems generally are redundant not only for emergency situations but also for maintenance. The cooling tower fan typically has vibration switches installed in the fan assembly to shut the fan off in the event of too much vibration. (more…)
Large Condenser Pump for a Chilled Water System - This large HVAC condenser pump serves a new chiller located in a data center. This pump pumps condenser water through the condenser chiller barrel and to cooling to reject the heat absorbed in the chillers evaporator barrel. The pump works to move the water from the chiller to the cooling and then back through the chiller again. The water is diluted with a glycol solution to prevent freezing in the wintertime when the chiller needs to run at low ambient temperatures. (more…)
DX CRAC Unit Condensers | Critical Facility HVAC - Most data centers do not utilize HVAC DX (Direct Expansion) CRAC units or air conditioning but instead use chilled water systems to provide cooling for the data center. In smaller buildings such as remote telecom buildings, DX air conditioning systems are used to keep the equipment cool and operating efficiently. (more…)
Chilled Water System Basics - Chilled water systems work much the same way as direct expansion systems work. The exception is they use water in the coil rather than refrigerant. Technically speaking, water can be classified as a refrigerant. Chilled Water systems can be rather complex and many chilled water systems are found in commercial and industrial applications. There are some chilled water systems used in residential applications. (more…)
Trane Chilled Water Systems – Multi-Zone Air Conditioning Systems - This Trane HVAC chiller serves four different apartments. Chilled water systems offer a great way for multi-zone air conditioning. From small apartment buildings to large commercial buildings chilled water systems can serve multi-zone air conditioning systems. (more…)
Plate Heat Exchanger and Free Cooling - This plate heat exchanger is used in a data center for a chilled water system and is a chilled water economizer. Heat exchangers are used in marine applications, industrial processes including chemical processing systems, food processing, and many HVAC applications including chilled water applications, hot water applications, and economizer applications. (more…)
