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The Technology of Cooling Part 4: Closed Loop Liquid Cooling Solutions

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1. Air to Water Heat Exchangers

Pfannenberg Air to Water Heat Exchangers use a supplied water source to remove the heat from the electrical cabinet. The heat from the enclosure is transferred to fluid and the heated fluid is then piped away adding no heat to the ambient environment.  Because there is no heat transfer to the ambient environment, there is no need to de-rate the units performance in high ambient conditions.

 

How do I know if a Air to Water Heat Exchanger is the right product for my application?

  • If there is a chilled water supply readily available at the enclosure.
  • If the environment has extreme conditions like extremely high ambients, extremely dirty or caustic, that make other systems not applicable.

Properly sizing a Air to Water Heat Exchanger

To properly size an Air to Water Heat Exchanger you must know the required cooling capacity in Watts, available water temperature and the dimensions of the unit and enclosure.

Utilizing performance curves to properly size cooling units:

Pfannenberg utilizes the DIN standard 35/35 °C when rating our cooling units. Many other companies use 50/50 °C, which provides a higher, non-usable value. Customers should use their own application temperatures to determine the proper cooling capacity of the system.

Important information when utilizing Air to Water Heat Exchangers for enclosure cooling:

  • The performance of an Air to water Heat Exchanger is directly related to the difference in the water temperature and the air temperature inside the enclosure.
  • To manage condensation, an external condensation evaporator (KVDTX) can be used.
  • The enclosure should be sealed to prevent the inflow of ambient air.
  • Use the door contact switch to impede operation with open doors and consequent excessive accumulation of condensation.
  • Setting the temperature to the lowest setting is not the optimal solution due to the condensation issues. The value we have preset on the cooling unit is a sound compromise between cooling the inside of the enclosure and the accumulation of condensation.
  • Make sure unit is level.

2. Chillers

A chiller uses a refrigeration cycle to remove the collected heat from a circulating liquid. As the liquid moves through a system of tubes and pipes it absorbs the heat generated by equipment and processes.  This generated heat is then transferred by the liquid back to the chiller where it is dissipated. Fluid is cooled and sent back into the system.

 

How do I know if a Chiller is the right product for my application?

  • When higher heat loads that exceed traditional enclosure cooling methods need to be managed.
  • When precise temperature control is required as part of the manufacturing process.
  • Large fluctuations in heat load requirements need to be managed.
  • It allows the source of cooling to be located separately from harsh environments.

 

Selecting the correct Pfannenberg Chiller

Choosing the best packaged chiller to meet the demanding requirements of today’s industrial applications can be complicated. For that reason, Pfannenberg designed a 6 step guide to help you select the best chiller depending on your environment, process and type of application. Click on the picture to open the PDF or use this link!

 

Important information when utilizing Chillers:

  • Chillers can be installed indoors if the area around the unit is relatively clean and the air is temperate.
  • Locating the chiller outside can be a good option and can improve the efficiency of the chiller depending on temperature.
  • Extreme temperatures can cause capacity issues or the need for additional options such as a low ambient package.
  • A chiller should be sized as close to the required capacity based on the desired chilled liquid supply temperature and the highest expected ambient temperature.

3. Combined Chillers and Air to Water Heat Exchangers

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When a Liquid Cooling Source is not available on site, use the combination of chillers and air to water heat exchangers to simplify the cooling of your processes, machines and controllers as part of a system based solution.

Via a closed pipeline system that uses a highly economical supply of cooled liquid (e.g. water, glycol or oil) as the cooling medium, temperature can be managed within your process and as the cooling medium for the air conditioning of control cabinets. When cooling cabinets with PWS Air To Water Heat Exchangers the thermal management is 100% independent from the ambient temperatures at the installation location.

Click here for more detailed information about Closed Loop Liquid Cooling Solutions!

A properly selected Thermal Management is key to guarantee the longevity of critical electronics. Pfannenberg place the knowledge and technical expertise of its engineers at your disposal for you to find the best solutions for your requirements.

Find the 3 previous articles of this “Technology of Cooling” serie:

Marine Vienney

Selecting the Proper Equipment for Food and Beverage Applications

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Proper thermal management is key for saving resources and keeping electronics (and equipment) up and running on a consistent basis. It is important to understand the various types of cooling methods available and how the ambient conditions may effect the product chosen.  Choosing the wrong method may lead to a solution that is undersized or oversized, or fails prematurely due to being specified for incompatible ambient conditions.

Selection of the preferred thermal management method, based on various environmental conditions:

Click here to view our thermal management selection guide.

With products that include fans, heaters, packaged air conditioners, air to water heat exchangers, packaged process chillers, and signaling devices, Pfannenberg offers a full range of thermal management solutions for the food and beverage industry. Standard options such as stainless steel materials, NEMA 4/4X enclosures, and washdown duty construction allow these time-tested products to be seamlessly incorporated into even the most demanding food and beverage processing applications.

Have a question regarding which equipment is best for your application? Ask Us Here.

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Topics: Air Water Heat Exchangers, Filterfans, Cooling Units, Thermal Management, Heaters, Food & Beverage, Chillers, Air Air Heat Exchangers

Marine Vienney

Pfannenberg Process Chillers used for Cooling Edge Banding Machines

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Duravit is a leading manufacturer of porcelain bathroom fittings, making top-grade bath furniture at their Schenkenzell site. Pfannenberg was contacted to replace a 12 year old process chiller for the subsystem switchgear cabinets used with their edge banding machine.

Needs Assessment

Duravit consulted with their engineering firm for advice on upgrading their equipment. This same engineering firm was also a  Pfannenberg Competence Centre (PCC) partner. Pfannenberg business development manager for chillers was brought in on-site to meet and review the necessary requirements to cool both the cabinet and machinery.

At the end of this process the decision was clear: a Pfannenberg EB 60 WT packaged chiller with a custom configuration was the ideal solution for cooling the switchgear cabinets used with the edge banding machine.

“We already had some Pfannenberg process chillers in use at various places in the Schenkenzell plant. When the existing unit for our edge banding machine had to be replaced, it was clear that we needed a new solution. In the end we chose the energy-efficient chiller solution from Pfannenberg due to our good experience with them in the past.”

Reliable cooling capacity


The edge banding machine in Duravit’s Schenkenzell plant runs about 4,500 passes a day.The edge banding machine feed unit glues edging to bath furniture. With double-sided gluing and four sides to be handled, each item passes through the machine twice – and thousands of items are processed per day.

Due to high dust levels in furniture manufacturing, a closed-circuit cooling system with water refrigerant is the ideal solution for thermal management of switchgear cabinets. In the summer the ambient temperature can rise to 40°C when bright sunlight shines through the glass roof of the Schenkenzell factory building.

This makes a reliable, high-performance cooling solution especially important. The EB 60 WT unit has a rated capacity of 6 kW and delivers a continuous flow of chilled water. The water is used to cool the electronic components inside the switchgear cabinets distributed over the 50m length of the machine, including variable speed drives and controllers. The modular switchgear cabinets are integrated into the machine as pull-out subcabinets.

Individually adaptable and easy to service

A special feature of Pfannenberg’s EB series is their modular architecture, which makes them easy to adapt to individual applications. In addition, Duravit opted for an special high-performance pump with rated pressure up to 5 bar, instead of the standard 3 bar with 35 litre flow volume in 50 Hz operation.

The chiller’s flow monitor keeps an eye on how much water is flowing through the cooling circuit, and the thermostat measures the water temperature.

If the cooling water flow is too low (risk of condensation) or the refrigerant temperature is too high (risk of overheating), the chiller sends an alert to the machine’s operator console so that damage to the electronic components of the edge banding machine can be avoided and high machine reliability can be achieved.

The refrigerant tank is also monitored by a sensor so that service personnel are informed promptly when the tank needs refilling. Pressure sensors monitor the air flow through the inlet filter. This enables preventive maintenance and reduces the need for wear parts.

The alerts are made possible by chiller’s ability to exchange control signals with the edge banding machine through the Harting connectors. The HMI display makes EB 60 WT operation convenient for users, who can also view fault messages and causes on the display.

“A decisive factor for us was that the EB 60 is very easy to maintain. For example, the filter mats only have to be cleaned every two to three weeks, despite the high dust level. The unit was installed six months ago, and we haven’t had to replace the filter mats yet. Thanks to the various alerts, we can perform preventive maintenance to increase our machine availability”

Modular and energy-efficient chiller technology

In a closed-circuit system, switchgear cabinets or electronic components are cooled by pumping cold water at a defined supply temperature through the switchgear cabinets in a pipe system.
After passing through the switchgear cabinets, the water flows back to the chiller at a higher temperature (return temperature). The chiller removes the temperature difference by cooling the water from the return temperature back to the supply temperature.

Pfannenberg offers chiller solutions covering the capacity from 1 to 70 kW, using water or oil as the refrigerant. Particularly in combination with air/water heat exchangers, water chillers (WT) provide an ideal system solution because all cooling task in a plant or machine can be implemented easily and economically using a closed-circuit pipe system.

The modular design of the EB series gives users a choice of up to 30 standard options, including UL certification. Good access from all sides enables easy and efficient maintenance. All components are rugged and top quality. In addition, Pfannenberg’s chiller is an especially energy-efficient chiller with load-based speed control that can reduce energy consumption by about 40% compared to the standard series.

“The Pfannenberg unit is top quality. You just switch it on and it works. It was delivered quickly, and the sales team put a lot of effort into it. The entire process was very smooth”

Pfannenberg is a global manufacturer of products and solutions developed to keep critical plant operations online and personnel safe.

Click here to get more information about Pfannenberg’s range of Chillers!

Protecting Man, Machine and the Environment… since 1954.

Topics: Packaged Chillers, Chillers

Marine Vienney

Using Chillers to Help Make Pasta

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Pasta – A staple in Italian cuisine that can be found in almost every household. It is a food that carries memories and conveys emotions.

Pasta is a noodle that is made from water and flour (eggs and other ingredients can be added for various flavors) – it has a simple composition, but the process requires a lot of love and patience. Pasta is classified under two broad categories: dried and fresh – from there it is classified by various shapes, sizes, flavors and ingredients.

In the United States, there has been an increase in buying trends for ready-made meals and easy to prepare foods. Dried pasta falls under both categories, but also has a strong nutritional composition – containing various vitamins and nutrients. Pasta takes many different shapes and sizes. Making dried pasta is a delicate process, it can easily tear and get ruined.  Ingredients are first mixed, extruded and dried, then taken to be packaged and shipped – all important steps into delivering a sought-after product.

Variety of types and shapes of dry pasta

An important manufacturing step in the dried pasta making process is the use of an extruder.Pfannenbergs’ packaged chillers are an ideal solution for the temperature regulation in this process. At the extrusion phase the pasta is given it’s distinct shape and size. This is the step in the process that classifies the pasta style, from angel hair and bow tie to lasagna and spaghetti.  Depending on the type of pasta that is desired, the dough is either pushed through dies or rolled out and cut.  Many types of dried pasta are commercially reproduced through this extrusion process.

The extrusion machine can mass produce large amounts of pasta to be dried. As the pasta enters the extruder it is approximately 95 °F (35 °C). As the pasta is pressed through the extruder there is an increase in the product temperature due to the friction of the pasta being forced out. A chiller is used to cool the water jacket built within the extruder to maintain an ideal exit temperature of 115 °F (45 °C). Anything warmer than this leads to a different consistency and risk of damage to the product.

Our Pfannenberg CC chiller series are used for this extrusion process globally. It’s compact design, ease of use and durability allows for integration within the OEM equipment.

We would all love to make our own fresh pasta at home, but with today’s busy lifestyle having a box of dried pasta in your cupboard is a staple for a quick meal.  Next time you cook your pasta in a pot of hot boiling water, remember its the cooling needed in the process to help make this delicious meal possible.

Click here to learn more about Pfannenberg’s CC series chillers.

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Topics: Packaged Chillers, Food & Beverage, Chillers