We at Maximus Chillers carry out chilling plant maintenance in factories and facilities around the UK and overseas.
HFC Refrigerants
HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) chiller refrigerants were developed to be chlorine free. For a while they were seen to be the great new thing until the GWP (global warming potential) of the refrigerants became more of a concern. The release of these refrigerants from leaking systems dramatically increases the green house effect and so trapping more heat in the atmosphere. For this reason, F-gas regulations are phasing them down to 21% by 2030. Because of the 650kg charge in the chillers in the photo, we carry out leak testing at one month intervals. Where a leak is identified with this refrigerant, the system can be pumped out using the push/ pull method. There are no refrigerant system shut off valves available to allow the systems to be pumped down.
Chilling Plant Maintenance using Leak Detectors
We employ HFC refrigerant leak detectors to identify any leaks around the system. On systems of this size, there may be more than one leak, with a large leak alerting the attention of the engineer and the smaller leaks found subsequently. Our leak detectors are sent off periodically to be calibrated with the internal replaceable components upgraded as necessary.
Static Leak Detectors
Static leak detectors are available for each machine to catch any leaks as soon as they happen- before the one month intervals. This reduces the amount of refrigerant leaking to atmosphere and so adding to global warming. These leak detectors are bump tested on each visit to ensure reliability with replacements available on site, should one of them fail.
Chilling Plant Maintenance for One World
The above measures are essential with this kind of refrigerant in the interests of the environment. Basic checks now, protect the future of the planet. We only have one world, so we need to look after it as best we can. You can rest assured that you are in safe hands with how we handle this range of refrigerants.
0161 237 3727
service@maximuschillers.com
Shell and Tube Condensers
During the maintenance, we assess the subcooling values under part and full load to diagnose the efficiency of the shell and tube condensers. This kind of condenser is very popular with larger chillers in the UK. They are not sensitive to different weather conditions as the heat rejected into the condenser water system is pumped into the cooling towers outside of the plant room.
Chilling Plant Maintenance of Copper Pipework
The nest of pipes inside the shell are constructed using copper. This is because of the excellent heat transferring properties of this metal. On other sites where the refrigerant is ammonia for example, stainless steel is used as ammonia corrodes copper and most other metals or alloys. Thorough maintenance of the pipework is carried out on each visit.
Water System Maintenance
The water loop is inspected at various test points around the system with our range of test equipment. Where there are readings that are starting to go beyond nominal conditions, we carry out adjustment to bring them back into line. If the water system is behaving abnormally, this will in turn affect the efficiency of the condenser. In extreme circumstances, a system failure can occur causing a potential loss of production. Effective maintenance from Maximus Chillers has evolved over time to prevent this from happening in the first place. Each time we encounter a new issue, a thorough investigative process is carried out, the solution is arrived at and this is added into the routine.
Air Bleed Ports during Chilling Plant Maintenance
Air can be pulled into the condenser from the cooling towers outside. This can sit on top of the water in the condenser and so prevent the heat exchange of latent heat from the refrigerant and into the water. An air lock in the condenser amounts to that portion of the heat exchanger from not being in use. This dramatically affects the efficiency of the plant. We carry out checks to each condenser and bleed any air on each visit to ensure the best running conditions of the plant.
0161 237 3727
service@maximuschillers.com
Standing Pressure
One of the ways to assess the condition of the refrigerant is the standing pressure. Only during factory shut down are all the chillers off for long enough for the system pressures to stabilize and so have a consistent standing pressure around the system. The pressure readings can be taken and added into our software to determine the composition and purity of the refrigerant and the presence of non condensables. Where the refrigerant is found to be in poor condition, maintenance can be arranged to rectify the issue.
Coefficient of Performance
The coefficient of performance is the cooling effect compared to the amount of electricity used. In an inefficient system, a small amount of cooling is achieved relative to a large amount of electricity used. In this age of environmental concerns, we carry out extensive measures and adjustments to improve the COP. Not only is an efficient plant cheaper to run, it is better for the environment too.
Control Panels
The control panels for the chillers in the photo are defunct. That is to say- the component parts are no longer manufactured. I am sure there is the odd circuit board rolling around on a shelf somewhere, but we fit state of the art controls. Our supplier builds bespoke panels exactly suited to each particular machine. They are plug and play with associated sensors, transducers and vane loading actuators supplied. The panel is fixed next to the chiller, wired in and ready to go. All settings come as default, so just the odd one needs to be modified. The panel can be easily integrated into the existing remote start stop and variable speed drives.
Related Articles:
Air Cooled Chiller Planned Maintenance
Process Chiller Maintenance Visit
Chilled Water System Maintenance
Centrifugal Chiller Maintenance
Industrial Chiller Maintenance
Air Cooled Chiller Condenser Maintenance
Preventative Chiller Maintenance
To read more about shell and tube chiller condensers hit the Tag below.
Further reading on Hydrofluorocarbon Refrigerants