Typical problems that are encountered that involve extended down-time for repairs and a temporary chiller solution include;
- Compressor failure- compressor are an integral part of the refrigeration process that compress and move the refrigerant around the cooling circuit.
In the first place procuring the compressor new or repairing the existing can be a drawn out process.
Secondly, to enable the replacement generally requires a full removal of the refrigerant and disconnection of electrical and pipe-work systems.
Compressors can also be very bulky and heavy which requires specialist lift and shift teams to remove from the chiller and away from the plant area such as a roof.
- Refrigerant leaks- Refrigerant is contained in the refrigerant circuit of the machine which is sealed. If a leak occurs refrigerant is lost from the system and causes a failure ie. no cooling effect.
Leaks can be time consuming to repair and involve the removal of any remaining refrigerant followed by the charging of Nitrogen to pressurise and location of any leaks.
Once identified, and the leaks repaired, a further extended test is carried out to ensure tightness.
This is followed by the evacuation of the refrigerant circuit to remove all gases and a re-charge with the correct weight of refrigerant before re-commissioning to running order.
- Evaporator breaches- are one of the most destructive faults that can occur in a chiller. The evaporator is where the refrigerant exchanges heat with the water circulating though it. They are always separated so that they dont mix. When breaches occur the water eventually makes its way into the refrigerant system where it mixes with the oil and turns to acid causing major failure to component parts including the compressor.
In this situation it is a very time consuming and expensive process to clean out the refrigeration circuit and in many cases it is more cost effective to replace the machine.
Whilst not an exhaustive list, these are some of the most costly and time consuming faults that can occur with chillers. In these instances chiller hire may be a very good option to keep a cooling system running whilst repairs are made.