It is not uncommon for people to
schedule regular maintenance for their chillers. But, despite the maintenance
and repairs, the efficiency of your chillers can decrease with time. A decrease
in the chiller’s efficiency can occur for a number of reasons. Leaking
refrigerant, clogged process lines, and failed pumps are just some the reasons
why this problem takes place.
Here are some common chiller
problems and the ways they can be taken care of.
Ciller Not Powering Up
Not powering up is one of the biggest problems with a
chiller. This happens for a variety of reasons, some of them are mentioned
below.
·
Power switch is turned off.
·
The connections are loose and the line voltage
is improper.
·
Phases are not connected properly.
·
Fuse or circuit breaker is blown up.
Insufficient Flow of Fluid and Pumping
Here are some of the reasons why this problem occurs.
·
Fluctuation in the line voltage.
·
Insufficient amount of fluid in the reservoir.
·
Process line in pinched or restricted.
·
Process valve is partially closed.
·
Blocking of the filer fluid.
·
Coolant fluid does not match the temperature
requirements.
·
Small size of the process piping.
·
Pump fails.
·
Restriction to the process.
Insufficient Coolant
Let’s take a look at some of the causes behind this problem.
·
Icing up of the evaporator.
·
Temperature is high.
·
Leaking refrigerant.
·
Deterioration in the heat transfer properties of
the coolant.
·
Air filer or the condenser gets clogged.
·
Fluctuation in the line voltage.
Now that you have understood the common chiller problems and
the causes behind them, let’s shed some light upon the ways these problems can
be taken care of.
·
The best way to deal with such problems is to
make sure that the chiller is running. The chiller might stop running due to
loose wiring, a circuit or fuse that is blown up, or simply the power switch
that has been turned off. Most of the times, the power switch is merely turned
off, which results in confusions.
·
Make sure that the evaporator is not iced up and
the chiller is cooling. In order to do so, the temperature of the coolant must
be checked at the outlet of the chiller to the process. If the temperature is
not up to the necessary requirements, it is a sign that the evaporator has been
iced up. Another reason could be deterioration in the heat transfer properties
of the coolant.
·
Make sure that the pump is in a running
condition. A valve that is partially closed, pump failure or insufficient
amount of coolant might be the hindrances in the proper flow of liquid through
the process coolant loop.
·
Keep an eye on the environmental conditions.
Extreme weather conditions are one of the major reasons why a chiller fails to
perform efficiently. Another reason why the chiller fails to perform is its
relocation. Absence of insulation on the piping and line voltage fluctuation
also keep the chiller from working efficiently.