What Is a Process Chiller?

What Is a Process Chiller?

A process chiller is a cooling system that removes heat from a manufacturing process or a piece of equipment. Also known as an industrial process chiller, it is used when a material needs to be kept at a specific temperature to ensure manufacturing operations run smoothly and to maintain product quality. 

How Does a Process Chiller Work?

These systems work by circulating water, or a mixture of water and glycol, through heat exchangers to absorb heat from a process or material. That heat is then released to the environment (air or water) through a refrigeration cycle. 

There are several key components common to all process chillers:

• The compressor compresses the refrigerant gas, which absorbs heat from the process fluid.
• The condenser releases heat to the environment.
• The expansion valve regulates the refrigerant flow into the evaporator, where the fluid becomes a gas. 
• The pump circulates the chilled fluid.
• The reservoir stores the chilled fluid.

Industries That Benefit from Process Chillers

Any manufacturing process that generates a high amount of heat can benefit from incorporating industrial process chillers into its operations. Here are a few examples: 

• Metalworking: welding, laser cutting and machining generate localized heat that can damage tools and materials.
• Plastics: chillers can help maintain mold temperatures, reduce cycle times and decrease product defects.
• Chemical processing: controlling temperatures precisely is critical to chemical reactions, mixing solutions and storage.
• Print and graphics: to maintain product consistency, ink and rollers should be kept within a specific temperature range. 
• Food and beverage: chillers maintain ingredient and product temperatures to ensure food safety throughout the creation process.
• Pharmaceuticals: process chillers ensure precise temperatures for manufacturing drugs and preventing the overheating of equipment.

Modern process chillers chosen to match the required cooling capacity add a layer of efficiency to operations, with respect to both energy and up-time. They contribute to improved product quality, increased equipment lifespans and faster production cycles.

Resources for Process Chillers: 

• MTA-Trane Industrial Process Chillers

• Industrial Process Cooling

• Industrial Refrigeration

Available capacities for Trane process chillers range from one ton to 53 tons and are available in ready-to-deploy packages and custom builds. Reach out to your local Trane representative to determine the option that is best for your facility.