Air-cooled chillers rely on airflow to dissipate heat from the condenser. If the airflow is not smooth, it will affect the cooling efficiency of the chiller. Therefore, the airflow direction of the chiller needs to be designed correctly.

Air-cooled chillers require good ventilation

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During the operation of the air-cooled chiller, the fan sucks in air at ambient temperature and blows it to the fins of the high-temperature condenser, taking away the heat and blowing it out from the other side. If the hot air blown out cannot be dissipated in time, it will accumulate around the equipment and increase the temperature of the surrounding air.
 
Over time, the “ambient air” inhaled by the fan is no longer fresh, but hot air after secondary heating. The hotter the air, the worse its ability to remove heat from the condenser, and the system’s heat dissipation efficiency will decrease. Worse, if the equipment is arranged too closely, the hot air discharged by one unit is just sucked in by the unit next to it, which will cause mutual interference and a vicious cycle, and finally affect the stable operation of the entire batch of equipment.

Common airflow direction and layout

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Vertical Discharge

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The density of hot air is relatively low, so it will naturally flow upward. The fan of the upper air chiller is at the top of the machine, and the hot air is also discharged vertically upward. This air outlet method can blow air on the basis of natural convection, which is convenient for discharging hot air.
 
 If the area around your equipment is crowded and the height is low, it is more appropriate to use upward blowing. It should be noted that at least 1.5 meters of space should be left on the top of the equipment, and nothing that will block the airflow should be installed on the top. Generally, this ventilation method requires the installation of ventilation ducts to guide the hot air to the outside.

Horizontal Discharge

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The fan of the side-discharge chiller is installed on the side of the equipment, and the airflow flows horizontally. If you observe that there are grille slots on the left and right sides of a chiller, it means that it is side-discharged. In order to allow the hot air to circulate smoothly, the equipment should be at least 1.5 meters away from the wall in the horizontal direction, and there should be no debris. It can be seen that it has a high requirement for space, so this air outlet method is generally used in open places.

Angled Upward Discharge

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If you want to use this method, you need to calculate whether the wind direction will be affected by the surrounding equipment and walls. Our chiller installation experts remind you to pay attention to the axial direction of the fan and the arrangement direction of the condenser to prevent turbulence from affecting the heat dissipation effect.

Dual Discharge

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If you think that the heat dissipation effect of one air outlet is not good, you can try a chiller system with dual-side air outlet. Its two air outlets are generally on the side of the equipment and are symmetrical. This air outlet method can reduce the impact of single-sided negative pressure or wind resistance on heat dissipation, and its heat dissipation efficiency is higher. However, the space requirements are also very high, and there should be no obstruction on both sides of the chiller.

Ducted Discharge

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If your air cooling system is installed in poorly ventilated places such as indoors, in a machine room or in a basement, you need to install ventilation ducts to guide the hot air out. In order to avoid excessive wind resistance, straight pipes have higher heat dissipation efficiency than curved pipes. However, after using this method, you need to check the sealing of the pipes regularly to prevent hot air leakage.

Consider seasonal wind direction and external airflow

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When installing an air-cooled chiller, many people tend to overlook one issue: how does the wind blow? This seemingly “natural” phenomenon is actually directly related to whether the chiller can operate stably, especially in places with strong winds in the north or in industrial parks with dense buildings.
 
In spring and autumn, the wind direction is often relatively fixed. For example, most areas in the north are dominated by northwest winds. If the air outlet of the chiller is facing the main wind direction, strong winds may “blow back” the hot air, making it difficult to effectively discharge the heat. As a result, the condenser temperature rises and the compressor frequently alarms or shuts down for protection.
 
The problem is more obvious in winter. Some customers install the chiller on the leeward side of the factory building. As a result, the wind cannot blow in winter, the hot air “circles” the outlet, the air circulation is poor, and the temperature blows higher and higher. Some even directly frost and freeze, resulting in a significant decrease in the performance of the heat exchanger. The most serious time was when our customer’s on-site condenser was frozen and cracked, and production was directly stopped for two days.
 
In addition, if the chiller is close to the wall of the factory building or is surrounded by tall fences, stacked items, etc., it is also necessary to pay attention to whether the wind “channel” is blocked. If air cannot flow in and out smoothly, no matter how good the equipment is, problems are likely to occur.

Schlussfolgerung

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Are you worried about encountering troubles when installing a chiller? LNEYA provides installation and commissioning services for all chillers. Our experts will communicate with you in detail about every problem you may face and provide you with a customized cooling experience.
 
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