A Chilled Water Plant is a centralized cooling facility that produces cold water, typically between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, for distribution to air handling units and terminal equipment throughout a building. The plant uses one or more chillers to remove heat from water circulated via a secondary loop to occupancy spaces.
Technical Details
Chilled water plants commonly employ rotary screw chillers, centrifugal chillers, or scroll compressor units ranging from 20 to 3,000 tons of refrigeration. Systems include evaporators, condensers, cooling towers for heat rejection, and variable frequency drive pumps. Typical cooling capacity supports buildings from 50,000 to over 2 million square feet, with design supply temperatures of 44 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
Operating Benefits
Chilled water plants enable precise temperature control across multiple zones and support large buildings where individual cooling units would be impractical. Part-load efficiency improves significantly with proper chiller sequencing and pump staging. Maintenance is concentrated in one location, reducing labor costs and downtime. Modern plants achieve Energy Star certification and comply with EPA refrigerant phasedown requirements through advanced controls and efficient compressor technology.