Overview
A chiller can be generally classified as a refrigeration system that uses either a vapor compression or absorption cycle to cool. Both the absorption and the mechanical compression systems have the evaporation and condensation of a refrigerant in common. In both systems, the refrigerant evaporates at low pressure to absorb heat and then condenses at higher pressure to reject heat to the atmosphere. Both systems require energy to raise the temperature of the refrigerant for the heat rejection process.
The difference is that mechanical chillers use reciprocating, centrifugal or screw compressors that are powered by electric motors whereas the absorption cycle uses heat (usually steam or direct fire) to raise the refrigerant temperature. Mechanical chillers are most commonly used in residential and commercial buildings, whereas absorption systems are often an excellent choice for industrial applications, where there is scope of waste heat recovery.
This 4-hr course covers the applications of chiller units and is based entirely on US Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACERL) technical report 99/20, May 1999, Appendix C – Chiller Systems.
The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of twenty (20) questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:
- How the mechanical compression cycle operates
- What are the different types of mechanical compressors including reciprocating, centrifugal, and screw
- What is a vapor absorption refrigeration cycle, its components and applications
- What do the terms "efficiency" and "coefficient of performance" mean?
- What are the functions of the different components of a chiller such as evaporator, compressors, condensers and expansion valves
- How is heat rejection achieved through contact and non-contact type cooling towers
- What are the different types of refrigerants and their effects on the environment
- What are the principle guidelines in sizing, costing and selecting an appropriate chiller
- Why is water treatment important in closed and open systems
- What are the basic methods and procedures for testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) of chiller systems
Course
Click on the following link to the PDF document to review the course material before taking the quiz for credit.
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