More efficient means of generating hot water through the application of air-cooled chiller systems with heat reclaim capabilities to reduce the energy consumption in buildings.

Withair’s air-cooled chiller produces chilled water while simultaneously transferring significant quantities of heat to the outdoors through its air-cooled condenser.If this heat could be captured and re-directed to a water-cooled condenser, the system could produce not only a controlled source of chilled water but also a significant amount of useful heat to generate hot water.

Withair’s air-cooled chillers with heat reclaim capabilities can do just that – produce chilled water controlled to the necessary temperature while generating hot water as a by-product of the chilled water system.The heat recovery condenser can transfer 100% of the chiller’s total heat of rejection to the hot water loop. The leaving water temperature can reach a maximum temperature of  55℃ under steady state and constant hot water flow conditions. The allowable leaving hot water temperature range is 20 to 55℃. Since the hot water loop is used to condense refrigerant into a subcooled liquid, head pressure control may be necessary to ensure stable chiller operation when entering-water temperatures are between  15℃ and 40℃. A modulating 3-way control valve will be necessary when the entering-water temperature (EWT) is within this range.

With the ever growing concerns over escalating energy costs, increased energy consumption, and the resulting impact on the economy and the environment, heat recovery from the chilled water system offers an excellent solution to all of these issues. Capturing heat that would otherwise be wasted and converting it into useful energy can minimize operating cost, reduce energy consumption, and advance the movement toward sustainability. The design professional should fully understand the application needs, system requirements and component capabilities to develop a system to meet the intended goals. Once these needs are fully understood and properly implemented, the energy efficiency and operating benefits can be fully realized. Heat recovery using Withair’s heat reclaim chiller is an excellent choice when looking for environmentally responsible energy saving solutions.