Optimum condenser fan staging for air-cooled chillers

F. W. Yu; K. T. Chan

doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.01.005

Optimum condenser fan staging for air-cooled chillers

F. W. Yu
, K. T. Chan

Division of Science, Engineering and Health Studies (SEHS)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper considers how the staging of condenser fans can be optimized to improve the efficiency of air-cooled chillers at part load. An experiment on an air-cooled reciprocating chiller confirmed that when all condenser fans are staged to enhance heat rejection airflow, the heat transfer coefficient of the condenser can be optimized, enabling the condensing temperature and chiller power to decrease considerably with less fluctuation. Chiller efficiency, in turn, can be improved by 4.4-40.1%, depending on the load conditions and outdoor temperatures. An algorithm is introduced to compute the number of staged condenser fans based on a set point of condensing temperature for any given head rejection. With this algorithm, the strategy for optimizing the staging of condenser fans is discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2204-2218
Number of pages	15
Journal	Applied Thermal Engineering
Volume	25
Issue number	14-15
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.01.005
Publication status	Published - Oct 2005

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Air-cooled chiller
Condenser fan staging
Energy efficiency
Floating condensing temperature control

Access to Document

10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.01.005

Cite this

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title = "Optimum condenser fan staging for air-cooled chillers",

abstract = "This paper considers how the staging of condenser fans can be optimized to improve the efficiency of air-cooled chillers at part load. An experiment on an air-cooled reciprocating chiller confirmed that when all condenser fans are staged to enhance heat rejection airflow, the heat transfer coefficient of the condenser can be optimized, enabling the condensing temperature and chiller power to decrease considerably with less fluctuation. Chiller efficiency, in turn, can be improved by 4.4-40.1\%, depending on the load conditions and outdoor temperatures. An algorithm is introduced to compute the number of staged condenser fans based on a set point of condensing temperature for any given head rejection. With this algorithm, the strategy for optimizing the staging of condenser fans is discussed.",

keywords = "Air-cooled chiller, Condenser fan staging, Energy efficiency, Floating condensing temperature control",

author = "Yu, \{F. W.\} and Chan, \{K. T.\}",

note = "Funding Information: The work described in this paper was supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR, China (Project No. PolyU 5018/00E) and the central research grant of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.",

year = "2005",

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doi = "10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.01.005",

language = "English",

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journal = "Applied Thermal Engineering",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Optimum condenser fan staging for air-cooled chillers

AU - Yu, F. W.

AU - Chan, K. T.

N1 - Funding Information: The work described in this paper was supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR, China (Project No. PolyU 5018/00E) and the central research grant of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

PY - 2005/10

Y1 - 2005/10

N2 - This paper considers how the staging of condenser fans can be optimized to improve the efficiency of air-cooled chillers at part load. An experiment on an air-cooled reciprocating chiller confirmed that when all condenser fans are staged to enhance heat rejection airflow, the heat transfer coefficient of the condenser can be optimized, enabling the condensing temperature and chiller power to decrease considerably with less fluctuation. Chiller efficiency, in turn, can be improved by 4.4-40.1%, depending on the load conditions and outdoor temperatures. An algorithm is introduced to compute the number of staged condenser fans based on a set point of condensing temperature for any given head rejection. With this algorithm, the strategy for optimizing the staging of condenser fans is discussed.

AB - This paper considers how the staging of condenser fans can be optimized to improve the efficiency of air-cooled chillers at part load. An experiment on an air-cooled reciprocating chiller confirmed that when all condenser fans are staged to enhance heat rejection airflow, the heat transfer coefficient of the condenser can be optimized, enabling the condensing temperature and chiller power to decrease considerably with less fluctuation. Chiller efficiency, in turn, can be improved by 4.4-40.1%, depending on the load conditions and outdoor temperatures. An algorithm is introduced to compute the number of staged condenser fans based on a set point of condensing temperature for any given head rejection. With this algorithm, the strategy for optimizing the staging of condenser fans is discussed.

KW - Air-cooled chiller

KW - Condenser fan staging

KW - Energy efficiency

KW - Floating condensing temperature control

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/19944373795

U2 - 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.01.005

DO - 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2005.01.005

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:19944373795

SN - 1359-4311

VL - 25

SP - 2204

EP - 2218

JO - Applied Thermal Engineering

JF - Applied Thermal Engineering

IS - 14-15

ER -

Optimum condenser fan staging for air-cooled chillers

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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