Industrial Refrigeration Systems
Industrial refrigeration systems are noted for their complexity and uniqueness between similar facilities. These systems operate under widely varying operating conditions to meet specific cooling processes at different temperatures. This range of conditions and requirements dictates the importance for custom engineering of every system. In fact, it is uncommon to find two identical systems.
Industrial systems have various sub-systems consisting of many different components and refrigerants that are utilized for specific purposes. Coupled with the fact that no two systems are alike, each system can exhibit different performance and efficiency characteristics.
Typical sub-systems and components found in industrial refrigeration systems are:
- Liquid overfeed systems
- Also referred to as liquid recirculation systems
- Mechanically pumped liquid
- Gas powered pumping systems or liquid transfer stations
- Controlled-pressure systems
- Thermosiphon systems
- Oil cooling
- Process cooling
- Heat recovery
- Gravity flooded systems
- Air-cooling evaporators for cooling or freezing requirements
- Direct expansion systems
- Utilizing thermostatic expansion valves
- Liquid/vapor separators using gravity separation, impingement, and velocity reduction
- Oil separation from compressor discharge gas
- Liquid refrigerant separation to protect compressors from liquid slugging. These are also known by various terms such as accumulators, knock-out drums, or simply separators
- Evaporators
- Shell and tube heat exchangers
- Finned-tube heat exchangers
- Plate and frame or brazed plate heat exchangers
- Condensers
- Evaporative condensers
- Water-cooled shell and tube heat exchangers
- Finned-tube heat exchangers
- Plate and frame or brazed plate heat exchangers
- Compressors
- Twin-screw or single-screw compressors
- Reciprocating compressors
- Rotary compressors
- Valves
- Service valves for isolation of components
- Control valves
- Pressure regulating valves
- Safety relief valves
In some cases, the selection of components or sub-systems is determined by the system designer’s preference or past experience. Systems are often found to be designed for one point of operation, i.e., full capacity in the summer. Other periods of operational requirements may directly impact the overall efficiency of the refrigeration system.
Each component has a specific performance capability at one point of operation. Any combination of these components and sub-systems at other points of operation can be detrimental to energy conservation efforts. In effect, the overall system may have unknown barriers that limit the potential for energy reduction.
A major challenge for operators and owners of industrial refrigeration systems is the ability of the refrigeration system to work efficiently in any operating condition. The operating costs of your refrigeration system are determined by this. However, these barriers can be determined by analysis. A thorough investigation of the various components, sub-systems and operational characteristics of your system can provide cost-effective solutions to help reduce your energy dependency.
