Many people mistakenly assume that Industriekälteanlagen and HVAC systems are the same. However, this is a common misunderstanding.In fact, chillers can be used as cold source equipment for HVAC, or they can be used independently in many industrial scenarios. This article details the differences between them to help you better understand cooling equipment.

What is an industrial chiller?

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An industrial chiller is an industrial cooling device that can transfer heat from equipment or processes by absorbing heat when the refrigerant evaporates. It is used in many industries that require strict temperature control. Because it can provide a cold source, it is also used in HVAC systems. The cold it produces is then transported to the fan coil or air conditioning box indoors to help cool the air.
 
Learn more about industrial chillers.

What is HVAC?

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HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. It can regulate the temperature, humidity and air quality of the room. No matter what the outdoor temperature is, staying indoors with an HVAC system will keep you in the most comfortable state. It is often used in homes, office buildings, shopping malls and hotels.

Industrial Chiller vs HVAC

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Anmeldung

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• Industrial chiller: Chillers generally use refrigerants to cool coolants such as water, oil and ethylene glycol in the evaporator, and then transport these coolants to the equipment and processes that need to be cooled to cool them. The cooling objects are usually equipment such as laser heads, electroplating tanks, vacuum furnaces, or processes such as injection molding, distillation, and condensation. Its main function is to improve the stability and accuracy of the process.
 
• HVAC: The cooling object of HVAC is the air in the room. In the evaporator, the refrigerant can absorb the heat in the air without passing through the coolant. It is produced to improve human comfort, so it is installed in places that require indoor body sensation.

Temperature

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• Industrial chiller: Industrial scenes have strict requirements on temperature, especially in precision manufacturing industries such as semiconductors, requiring temperature fluctuations not to exceed ±0.1℃, and some processes even require not to exceed ±0.05℃. Moreover, the coolant may need to be heated in the entire stage of product manufacturing, such as heating plastic particles and cooling molds in injection molding. This requires a wide temperature range and high temperature control accuracy for the process cooling system.
 
• HVAC: The operating temperature range of HVAC is designed based on the most comfortable temperature for the human body. The most comfortable temperature for the human body is generally 20℃~24℃ in winter and 23℃~26℃ in summer. Therefore, the temperature range of the HVAC system is generally 16℃~30℃, which can fully cover the optimal temperature. Because it only needs to ensure the comfort of the body, its temperature control accuracy is not as high as that of the chiller, generally around ±1℃.

Continuous operation capability

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• Industrial chiller: The production process in the factory is generally not interrupted, so the process chiller is required to be able to operate continuously for a long time. When designing equipment, engineers will consider this issue, and most units are designed to support 24/7 operation.
 
• HVAC: HVAC is used in buildings. In office buildings and shopping malls, the HVAC system is only started when there are a lot of people active during the day, and it will be turned off at night or on holidays. In many office buildings, it is not even used in spring and autumn. So it does not need to run continuously for 24 hours.

Kosten

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• Industrial chillers: To meet the needs of high precision, wide temperature range and more energy-saving long-term operation, industrial chillers need to be equipped with higher-performance compressors, heat exchangers, temperature control and control systems. This also increases its manufacturing cost. However, its price fully matches its value.
 
• HVAC: Since the pursuit of performance is not as high as that of chillers, the initial investment of HVAC units is relatively low.

Item	Industrial Chiller	HVAC System
Target	Equipment and industrial processes	Human comfort
Temperatur-Genauigkeit	±0.1℃ or even more precise	±1~2℃
Application Scenarios	Factories, labs, medical, manufacturing	Malls, offices, homes, hospitals, buildings
System Components	Chiller, pump, cooling tower, fan	Heating, cooling, ventilation, air handling
Operating Temperature	-150℃ to +350℃ or wider	+16℃ to +30℃
Kosten	High	Moderate

Schlussfolgerung

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Industrial chillers are part of HVAC systems, but more often they are used independently for industrial cooling. If you have industrial cooling needs and want to buy a reliable chiller, LNEYA is honored to help you. We offer standard and customized equipment of various types and performances to help you determine the most suitable solution based on your temperature control needs.
 
Discuss your cooling needs with LNEYA.