Free Cooling Using Walter–side Economizer: Process Cooling Application At a Plastic Extrusion Plant

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article is based on a detailed feasibility study conducted in 2007 for the installation of a free cooling system for process cooling at a plastic extrusion plant in the greater Toronto area utilizing a water economizer circuit. The energy consumption of the cooling system, which had a 130-ton chiller capacity, comprised 20 percent of the total electrical energy consumption for the production plant under study. Although the case study presented in this article is for a plastic extrusion process application, the findings can be applied to the design and savings calculations of free cooling systems for other industrial processes and for space cooling applications as well. This study proposed a free cooling system design for the process cooling system. The design makes use of a plate and frame heat exchanger that serves as a water-side economizer to cool the chilled water holding tank, using cooling tower water during cold weather conditions. This article explores the technical and financial fea...