Industrial cooling systems run year-round and day and night. They cool factories, data centers, food processing facilities, and warehouses so that processes can continue safely. These systems also use a lot of energy.
Industrial cooling equipment represents one-third of total industrial energy consumption in the U.S. for example. That adds up to big money. Money businesses can save by taking cooling system efficiency seriously.
Fortunately, significant improvement is possible with industrial cooling efficiency. You don’t have to revolutionize your process overnight. Small steps can make a big difference. Here we explain how cooling systems work, where energy losses happen, and how to stop them.
Understanding How Industrial Cooling Systems Work
Industrial cooling systems fall into just a few categories. Chillers, cooling towers, evaporative coolers, and refrigeration units each move heat away from spaces or equipment. They run on electricity or fuel, giving them plenty of opportunity to consume.
Take chillers for example. Chillers use electricity to compress refrigerant, drawing heat into the system then releasing it elsewhere. Chillers’ compressor motors account for most of their energy usage. Many industrial facilities run chillers 24/7. Even improving efficiency by just a few percent means big savings.
Cooling towers absorb heat from chiller coils then release it into the atmosphere through evaporation. Cooling towers use pumps and fans, and they require water treatment. All these consumes energy, and lack of maintenance causes cooling towers to fall out of peak efficiency quickly.
Food storage and processing refrigeration systems lose efficiency in much the same way. All three components of refrigeration systems, the compressor, condenser fan, and evaporator fan. Refrigerant leaks and poor insulation can cause energy use to spike without any obvious sign of trouble.
Common Places Energy Is Wasted
Neglecting maintenance is the easiest way to waste energy in cooling systems. Condenser coils should be cleaned regularly. Failing to do so means the condenser compressor must work harder than necessary. Energy usage can climb 10-30% on a cooling system with a dirty condenser coil.
Allowing refrigerants to leak is another leading cause of inefficiency. Your cooling system must run longer to achieve the desired effect, wasting energy all the while. Many businesses don’t realize they have a leak until it’s too late and the system breaks down.
Did you know your cooling system could be too big? Oversized cooling towers, chillers, and refrigeration systems waste energy through short-cycling. Short-cycling occurs when a system turns on and off more frequently than it was designed to. This damages parts and reduces the life expectancy of your equipment.
Do you have old insulation on your pipes or refrigerant lines? Cooling energy is wasted when heat is absorbed by pipes that should be staying cold. Poor insulation allows ambient heat to creep back into the system and causes it to work harder than necessary. Check your insulation and replace it if needed.
Broken sensors and outdated control systems can cause cooling systems to run when they don’t need to. Many facilities leave cooling equipment running full blast all the time just because they don’t have variable speed drives (VFD) installed. A modern control system can react to changing cooling needs and save energy immediately.
Tips for Saving Energy with Your Cooling System
We recommend starting with an energy audit of your current cooling system. An experienced engineer can review your operation and recommend steps you can take to improve efficiency. You may even qualify for free energy audits from your local utility provider.
Maintenance is another key to better cooling efficiency. Clean your condenser coils and refrigerant lines. Make sure your seals are intact and moving parts are well lubricated. Preventative maintenance costs little compared to lost productivity and broken equipment.
Installing variable frequency drives, or VFDs, on your cooling system motors can reduce energy usage by up to half. VFDs automatically adjust how fast a motor is running based on demand. No more running pumps and fans at full speed when doing anything less would get the job done.
Free cooling with economizer modes is possible in some climates and industries. During cooler months, or overnight when temperatures drop, free cooling uses ambient air to cool facilities and processes. Data centers have used this technique to dramatically reduce their cooling costs.
Adjust chiller plant setpoints when possible. If your process allows, raising your chilled water supply temperature by a degree or two can reduce strain on your compressor. You may save 1-2% of compressor energy usage for each degree your setpoint is raised.
Keeping cooling tower surfaces clean should be part of your maintenance routine. Scale builds up on heat transfer surfaces just like it does inside pipes. Once there, it acts as an insulator and decreases your cooling tower’s ability to do its job. Water treatment is the answer.
Heat recovery is an opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked. Waste heat from other processes can be used to offset cooling needs or even heating requirements. Spend some time mapping heat flows through your facility and look for opportunities to recover heat.
Why Should You Care About Efficiency?
Think of energy as a variable expense. Things like energy prices and weather are outside of your control. But how much energy you use is not. Efficient businesses make smarter choices and invest in more efficient equipment.
After paying for upgrades, most facilities realize a return on their investment within two to five years. Any energy savings after that is profit your business didn’t have before.
Take note of carbon emissions regulations as well. The NHS told us that things are about to get a lot more expensive for inefficient businesses as related regulations are passed. Efficient businesses now will be ahead of the curve and face less risk.
Customers and investors care about energy efficiency these days too. Don’t know how your energy usage stacks up? See if you qualify for energy benchmarking through your local utility.
Finally, efficiency doesn’t just save money on your power bill. Efficient cooling means your processes never have to overheat, equipment lasts longer, and there is less downtime due to equipment failure. Every part of your business benefits when cooling system efficiency is a priority.
Case Study: Industrial Cooling System Savings Up To 22%
This food processing facility in Chicago required assistance controlling their rising operational costs. The factory utilized multiple industrial refrigeration and cooling systems that operated continuously all day during production hours. Chillers, condenser units, evaporator fans, and cooling towers were all being used to create safe temperatures for storage and production.
Key findings identified during their energy audit included the following:
- Dirty condenser coils limiting heat transfer
- Old AC motors using too much electricity
- Scale buildup on cooling tower decreasing efficiency
- Refrigerant leaks making compressors work harder
- Running pumps and fans at full speed unnecessarily
- Lack of insulation on chilled water piping and refrigerant pipes
Instead of installing new cooling equipment, the company invested in energy-efficiency improvements.
What Energy Efficiency Improvements Were Made?
They decided to implement the following solutions:
- Installed VFDs on pump motors and industrial cooling fans
- Scheduled preventative maintenance for condenser unit cleaning
- Added insulation to refrigeration pipework
- Installed leak detection and refrigerant management equipment
- Automated building controls and temperature monitoring systems
- Optimized chilled water setpoints
Results After One Year
By making these changes, they were able to realize:
- 22% decrease in energy used for cooling
- Decreased runtime on compressors and less mechanical stress
- Even production temperatures throughout the facility
- Fewer emergency maintenance callouts
- Extended lifespan of chillers and refrigeration equipment
- Decreased operating expenses and carbon footprint
Employees in the engineering department also noticed less stress on the equipment during seasonal spikes in cooling demand (summer months).
If you manage an industrial facility with cooling towers, chillers, or refrigeration equipment, there are many opportunities to improve your HVAC efficiency. You don’t always need to replace equipment to lower energy costs. Oftentimes, simple fixes such as preventative maintenance, cleaning fan coils, and optimizing with smart automation and variable-speed technology can lead to the biggest reductions.
Link: https://www.i2cool.com/tideflow/MXtGuYim.html
Industrial Cooling Energy Savings FAQ
What makes industrial cooling systems energy intensive?
Industrial facilities use cooling equipment such as chillers, air conditioners, ventilation fans, cooling towers, pumps, and motors to create safe conditions for manufacturing, refrigeration, process cooling, or IT equipment. This equipment uses large amounts of electricity because it must run 24/7/365.
What are the largest energy drains on cooling equipment?
Typically, dirty air filters, poor insulation, cooling tower scaling, refrigerant leaks, outdated building automation, and old motor systems are the largest energy drains.
How can VFDs help me save energy?
Variable Frequency Drives slowly ramp up motor speed to match the current cooling demand. This prevents fans and pumps from running at full speed when not necessary.
Does preventative maintenance help lower energy costs?
Performing preventative maintenance on cooling systems allows you to clean coils, inspect refrigerant lines, and catch major problems before they lead to emergency callouts. Cleaning and maintaining your equipment can greatly decrease your operating costs.
What does free cooling mean?
Many industrial facilities use free cooling, which utilizes naturally cool outdoor air or water temperatures to help reduce mechanical cooling. Whenever the outside air or water is cooler than the return air temperature of your building, you can use free cooling to lower energy consumption.
Why is pipe insulation important?
If your refrigeration pipes or chilled water lines are not properly insulated, heat will transfer into them. This causes your compressors, cooling systems, and pumps to work harder than they should.
How often should I audit my cooling equipment?
Every facility is different, but most see the benefits of having a cooling system audit every few years. If your operating costs seem to be increasing without explanation, it may be time to have your systems audited. Equipment should also be audited as it begins to age.
Are DC motors more efficient than AC motors?
DC motors and EC motors (electronically commuted motors) are typically more energy efficient while running and provide better speed control.
Who can benefit from improving their industrial cooling efficiency?
Food processing companies, manufacturers, cold storage warehouses, pharmaceutical and chemical producers, and data centers can all benefit from improving their industrial cooling system efficiency.
How long does it take to see a return on investment?
Commercial businesses typically see a return on their investment in 2-5 years. However, some industries can take longer to see ROI.
