Modelling of improved energy performance of air-cooled chillers with mist pre-cooling

Air-cooled chillers are widely used to provide cooling energy and yet pragmatic and simple energy efficient measures for them are still lacking. This paper considers how their coefficient of performance (COP) can be improved by using mist to pre-cool ambient air entering the condensers. The benefit of this application rests on the decrease of compressor power resulting from the reduced condenser air temperature with insignificant consumption of water and pump power associated with the mist generation. Based on a simulation analysis of an air-cooled screw chiller operating under head pressure control, applying such mist pre-cooling enables the COP to increase by up to 7.7%. Precise control of mist generation rate and integration with floating condensing temperature control are the major challenges of using a mist system to maximize electricity savings. The results of this study will prompt low-energy operation of existing air-cooled chillers working for various climatic conditions. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.