Central Chilling Systems and

Their Operation/Control
Shengwei Wang

Chair Professor of Building Services Engineering

Department of Building Services Engineering
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Typical Chillers and Chiller
Sequencing Control
Schematic diagram of a water cooled chiller system

30C Condenser water 35C

Condenser

High pressure side

Motor
Expansion Low pressure side
valve compressor

Evaporator
7C Chilled water 12C
 Q Refrigerant rejects
c heat to environment
Pressure

e
Condenser
Pc

Valve Compressor

Evaporator Refrigerant absorbs

Pe
heat from load
Q
e

Enthalpy

Schematic of the ideal refrigeration cycle

Coefficient of Qe Qe
COP  
Performance : W Qc  Qe
 Pressure-enthalpy Diagram of a simple refrigeration
cycle
pressure

Condensing

DP Increasing
COP
Evaporating

h4 enthalpy h1 h2
 Basic Chiller Types and Their Load Control
Centrifugal - Control the inlet vanes according to the
controlled temperature. Capacity control limits electrical load.
Reciprocating - Controller provides a stepped output to
sequence unloading valves, hot gas by-pass, or multiple
compressors according to controlled temperature.
Screw - Controller regulates the sliding bypass valve position
according to controlled temperature. Capacity control limits
electrical load.
Absorption - Controller regulates a valve to modulate the
steam, hot water, or gas supply to maintain controlled
temperature.
These control functions are usually built-in functions of the
chiller controller provided by chiller manufacturers.
Chillers using Different Heat Rejection Methods
According to the actual environmental constraints of the
buildings, three methods are normally adopted by chillers
for their condenser heat rejection:

• Water cooled system;

• Air cooled system;
• Cooling tower system.
 Basic Steps for Chiller Plant Design

Determine the total cooling capacity of the system:

obased on the calculated cooling load (multiplied by a safety
factor) at design condition, or
obased on the annual peak cooling load after considering some
acceptable number (≤50, ASHRAE) of unmet hours over a year.
Determine size and number of devices
obased on operation sequence of devices at typical loads if design
is not optimized;
obased on the load profile to minimize the operating energy
consumption if design is optimized.
Consider the reliability of devices in operation
oN+1 (for backup of failures and needs of maintenance)
Sizing of Chillers and Selection of Chiller combinations

Same size or combination of different sizes?

o High efficiency at different partial load
o High efficiency at night low load condition
Variable speed or constant speed chillers?
o All VSD, all CSD or a mix ?
Use of oil-free chillers
 System Controls which influence Chiller
Efficiency
Condenser and chiller water temperatures establish refrigerant
pressure and energy needed per unit of cooling. Considering the
efficiency of chiller alone, condenser temperatures should be
maintained as low as possible to minimize refrigerant pressure.
There is a minimum condenser temperature limit for each chiller
which varies due to different chiller design. Chilled water
temperature should be be as high as possible, which is determined
by the working conditions of the A/C terminal units.
The load of chiller also strongly affect the efficiency of chiller,
which is mainly due to the efficiency of compressor at different
load. Generally, the efficiency of chiller at low load is low than that
at higher load at the same condenser and evaporator working
condition.
 Chiller Sequencing Control -Alternative Methods
1. Based on building total cooling load:
Qtot = Cpw*Mw*(Trtn-Tsup)
2. Based on temperature of return water from building
(e.g. Trtn < certain value)
3. Based on the direction of water flow in by-pass line
(e.g. Mpass should be from supply to return)
4. Direct power-based method
5. Building total cooling load based on chiller power measurement
Qtot = ∑Fi(Wch,i, Tcd,i, Tev,i)
Total cooling load method is the appreciate method in principle.
Measurement accuracy and reliability on building total cooling are
the key issue and problem in actual application. Different methods
are concerned to improve measurement quality.
 Modulating valve
Coil
Coil

Chilled
water return
T
Bypass
Chilled
water Constant speed pumps
supply Chiller

Chiller
Sequence
controller
Chiller
Chiller sequence control based on the chilled water return
temperature
 Coil
Coil
Modulating valve

Pumps

surplus flow deficit flow

M S
Bypass pipe
Flow switch
Constant speed pumps

Chiller

Chiller
Sequence
Chiller controller

Chiller sequence control based on the flow in the bypass pipe

 Chilled water
return pipe
M
Central T
chiller plant
T Chilled water
supply pipe

T
Q Sequence
controller
Sequencer

Switch on/off signals for

chiller/pump

chiller sequence control based on total cooling load - Schematics

 One Two Three
Power Input
Chiller Chillers Chillers
At a different
working condition

Turn one more chiller on

Turn one chiller off

Cooling Load
Combined part-load performance of multiple centrifugal
chillers and total cooling load based sequence control
 Chiller Control - Other issues
For multiple chillers of equal size, the load on individual
chiller should be the same. For multiple chillers of different
size, the load on individual chiller should be proportional to
its capacity when chiller have similar characteristics.
Concerning: Qload = Cpw*Mw*(Trtn-Tsup)
One should be sure that different chillers have same supply
and return temperatures. That means : each chiller should has
same supply temperature set-point and the supply water
temperature sensors should be well-calibrated (or, at least
have same offset). The return water should be well-mixed
before tee-off to individual chillers.
One should be should that each chiller has the same water
flow rate for for chiller of same size or the flow rate
proportional to the capacity of a chiller. That is usually related
to the design and commissioning.
Typical Configurations of Chilled
Water Systems and Their Control
 Chilled Water System - Direct Return System

pump

Bypass
Δp
AHU AHU AHU

Pressure
Furthest branch

Distance
 Chilled Water System – Reverse Return System

pump

Bypass AHU AHU AHU

Δp

Pressure

Distance
 Coil
Coil
P
DPV Bypass

Constant speed pumps

Chiller

Chiller

Chiller

Schematic of a constant primary-only pumping

system with differential pressure bypass valve
 Differential pressure by-pass control
Working condition:
• Control variable - pressure at 2 points;
• Maintain constant pressure difference across the 2 points;
• A DPV responds to the signal to open wider or reverse;
• Usually across the main supply and return;
• 2-way control valves are used;
• pumps operated at constant speed.

Purpose:
• to maintain constant flow through chillers;
• to prevent pump surge at small flow.
Configurations of constant primary/variable
secondary pumping systems with decouple by-pass

Coil
Coil
Modulating valve
Constant or variable speed
pumps

Bypass

Constant speed pumps

Chiller

Chiller

Chiller
 Variable speed
7 oC secondary pump
7 oC

AHU
Primary loop Secondary
loop

Chiller
Chiller
12 oC
Chiller
Constant speed
primary pumps

 Constant flow in primary circuit

 Variable flow in secondary circuit 23
 Furthest branch
Pressure (also the index
circuit)

PA = PB

Distance
Primary-loop Secondary-loop

Pressure-distance diagram

24
 Features and Advantages
Features
•Two loops which are hydraulically decoupled from each other and
the primary and secondary loop can be treated separately;
•Flow rate in the primary loop depends on the pressure drop in the
primary loop only;
•Flow rate in the secondary loop depends on load demand from the
terminal units;
•Resistance to flow in the common piping is very small;
•Total system loss can be shared between the primary and secondary
pumps.
Advantages
•A fairly constant flow is maintained in the primary loop, which is
essential for proper chiller performance;
•Variable flow can be allowed in the secondary loop, so that overall
pump power consumption can be reduced;
•Problem of flow balancing in the secondary loop is minimized.
 Selection Issues of
Primary and Secondary Pumps
 For primary loop pumps, steep pump curve is desirable.

P Primary pump with steep curve;

V between operating points is small
when switching from 3 to 2 to 1 pump

Primary system

3 pumps
2 pumps
1

V Flow rate, V
V is the change in flow rate
through each pump & chiller 27
 Selection and Control of primary pumps
Selection
• Steep characteristic curve is preferred;
• Flow delivered by each pump does not change too much with
the change of number of operating pumps;
• Helpful to maintain constant flow rate through each chiller.
Control
• Pump sequencing control through chiller/pump interlock;
• Pump and chiller on a one-to-one matching basis;
• Sequencing operation of pumps through interlocking the on/off
of its associated chiller;
• Pump on should lead chiller on, pump off should lag chiller off.
 For secondary pumps, flat pump curve is desirable.

P Secondary pump with flat curve is preferred

so that when V1  V2, P is small

Part load
Secondary system
full load
P

V2 V1
Flow rate
Selection of Secondary Pumps

• Flat curve is preferred;

• With flat curve, increase in pump head is small for flow

reduction,  lower system pressure;

• Any system pressure in excess of the loss in the loop has to

be throttled by the control valve
 For speed control of
variable speed pumps
Coil
Differential Differential
Pressure pressure set-point

Coil
Controller
Differential
Pressure

Constant or variable
M speed pumps
Modulating valve

Bypass

To chillers From chillers

Schematic diagram of sequence control for secondary pumps

in constant primary/secondary variable pumping systems
 System Pressure Head Control
multiple pumps (constant speed) in the secondary loop
Pressure

System
curve
Surge
zone
3 pumps

2 pumps
1 pump

Flow Max. excessive Max. excessive

pressure when 2 pressure when 3
pumps are running pumps are running
 Sequencing control of multiple pumps
of constant speed

Turn off one pump

System curve
Pressure

Turn on one more pump

Pump curve

Flow rate
 Pump Pressure

Throttling
Reducing speed
C
Differential Pressure
set-point
A

B
Pump Curve
System Curve

m2 m1
Flow rate

Control of variable speed pump with pre-set differential

pressure across the critical load branch – energy effects
of different control strategies
Flow-Pressure balances of secondary chilled water loops
– Variable speed vs Constant speed pump systems

Pump Curve Pump Curve

Throttling Throttling
Reducing speed
C C
Pressure

Pressure
C A A

B
System Curve System Curve

m2 m1 m2 m1
Flow rate Flow rate

Control and balance of variable-speed pump system Control and balance of constant-speed pump system
when flow demand changed from m1 to m2 when flow demand changed from m1 to m2
 Coil
Coil
Modulating valve
Constant or variable
speed pumps

Check valve
Bypass

Constant speed pumps

Chiller

Chiller

Chiller
Configurations of constant primary/variable
secondary pumping systems (with check valve)
 Modulating valve
Coil
p

Coil

DPV Bypass pipe

Controller M

Variable speed
Chiller
pumps

Chiller

Chiller

Configuration of variable primary-only pumping system

Thanks!