Large Chilled Water System Design Seminar

Variable Volume Distribution

 Variable flow through coil Variable flow through coil
Constant flow through system Variable flow through system

Three Way Valve Two Way Valve

 Three-Way Valve Systems

• Low return temperatures

• Balance problems
• Increased flow at part load
• Extra chillers to provide flow at low t
• Chillers operate at high kW/ton
 Two-Way Valve System with
A Chiller Bypass

C C
H H
I I
L L
L L
E E
R R
 A Problem
We want:
a. variable volume, to save pumping
costs at part load,
b. constant flow through the chiller to
protect it.

A Solution
a. constant flow primary system for the chillers
b. variable flow secondary system for the load
 Primary-Secondary Pumping
Supply
Primary Loop
Production

Secondary Loop
Distribution
C C C
H H H
I I I
L L L
L L L
E E E
R R R
Primary-Secondary
Common

Return
Common Pipe Design Criteria
• Use the flow of the largest chiller
– Chiller staging at half of this flow is
common
• Head loss in common <1 1/2 ft
– Distribution pipe size is often used where
reductions would be inconvenient
• Three pipe diameters between tees
– Excessive length increases total head loss
• Low velocities in system piping
 Design of the Common Pipe

Secondary
Constant Speed
Pumps
Supply
Chiller 3

Chiller 2

Chiller 1

Pump
Controller

Common
Return

10 dia.
Common Pipe Configurations

A B

C D
 Secondary System Curve

Control Valves
Closing
H1
H2 Control Valves
H3 Opening

Head

F1 F2 F3
Flow
 Typical System
Distribution

Production 45F
To Loads
Chiller 1, on
Chiller 2, off

Secondary Pumps
1500 gpm each

Common
1500 gpm
each
From Loads
 Check Valve in Common?

Supply
>1500 GPM
>1500 GPM
@ 47.5oF
Chiller 1, on
Chiller 2, off

0 GPM Be Careful!
Common
>1500 GPM
Return @ 55oF

>1500 GPM
 What can we do?

Supply

Step Linear
Function Function
Chiller 3

Chiller 1
Chiller 2

Primary/Secondary
Common
Distribution

Production Return
 Typical Load Profile
30

25

20
% Time

15

10

0
0-10 30-40 60-70 90-100
% Load
 Multiple Chillers

Chiller 1
Chiller 2

Chiller 2, 60%

Chiller 1, 40%
100

80 1
% Load 60

40

1 2 2
20

25 50 75 100

% Time
 What else can we do?
Reset Supply Temperature
• Lower chiller set point when mixing occurs to
maintain a constant temperature to the system.
– Allows us to mix colder water and maintain supply
temperature to secondary. (coils)
• Expect increases in cost of chiller operation at
lower set point: 1-3% per degree of reset.
• Adds to control complexity.
• Delays start of the next chiller.
 “Loading” a Chiller
• A chiller is a heat transfer device. Like
most equipment, it is most efficient at
full load.
• To “load” a chiller means:
– Supply it with its rated flow of water
– Insure that water is warm enough to permit
removal of rated Btu without freezing the
water
 Typical Load Profile
30

25

20
% Time

15

10

0
0-10 30-40 60-70 90-100
% Load
 60/40 Chiller Split to Help Minimize
Low Part Load Operation

Chiller 1
Chiller 2

Chiller 2, 60%

Chiller 1, 40%
100

80 1
% Load 60

40

1 2 2
20

25 50 75 100

% Time
 Three Unequally Sized Chillers
Chiller 1 or Chiller 2
and
Chiller 3

100

Chiller 3, 60%

Chiller 2, 40%

Chiller 1, 40%
Chiller 1
and
Chiller 2
80

60
% Load
40
Chiller 3
20

25 50 75 100
Chiller 1
or
Chiller 2 % Time
Approaching Flow = Load

% Load

Time
 Primary-Secondary System

Secondary
Pumps
Supply
Chiller 3

Chiller 2

Chiller 1

Pump
Controller

Primary-
Secondary
Common
Return
 Pump Horsepower Comparison
150
Constant Flow Primary Pumps, only
125

BHP 100

75
Secondary Pumps +
50

Primary Pumps = V/V

25

25 50 75 100

Design Coil Flow

%
2012 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Systems and Equipment, p 44.11
Constant vs Variable Volume
Constant Flow, C/S Pump Pump Over-headed by 150%
150
(3 Way Valve)
140

130 C/S Pump

(2 Way Valve)
120

110
Base Constant Flow, C/S Pump Pump Head Matched
100
Design (3 Way Valve) to System @
90 Design Flow
HP %
80

70

60
% Full Load 50
(Design) HP 40
30
20

10

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
% Flow
Impact of Piping Length and Overheading

350

300

250
c/s @ 1.0
Yearly Operating Cost x $1000

c/s @ 1.25
200
c/s @ 1.50

c/s @ 2.0
150

100

50

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000

Pipe Length, Feet

Always Size the Pump to the System!

But...
• Uncertainties
– Coils
– Control valves
– Primary data
• Lead times
Dealing With an Overheaded Pump

• Throttle at the discharge valve

– Limits on the valve
• Flow balance & trim pump impeller
– Required by ASHRAE/IES 90.1
• Reduce VFD High Speed Limit
 Additional Concerns

• Pump Protection at minimum flow

• Chiller Staging and De-staging

instrumentation.
 Pump Protection

Minimum recommended flow from ESP Plus = 900 gpm

 Bypass Options
1. Establish a minimum flow equal to or greater than
the minimum required to protect the pump.
2. Install a bypass at the end of the mains with a
balance valve to set minimum flow.
3. Install a bypass at ends of zones.
4. In retrofits, leave a three way valve at the end of the
system.
5. Use P or flow sensing to open pump bypass only
when needed.
6. V/S pumps are not as big a problem because of
lower head at reduced flow.
 System Bypass Options
3

Secondary
Constant Speed
Supply
Pumps
2
Chiller 3

Chiller 2

Chiller 1

Pump
Controller
6 5
Primary
Secondary
Common
Return
Chiller Staging Instrumentation
TS-S FS
TP-S
ProductionChiller 1, on
FP To Loads
Chiller 2, off

Secondary/Pumps

Distribution
Common

TP-R TS-R
From Loads
Common Pipe Flow Indication
Distribution

Production
To Loads

Secondary/Pumps
Chiller 1
Chiller 2

Flow Switches

Common
From Loads
 Comments?
Questions?
Observations?