What do I need to consider when siting a chiller indoors?

Air-cooled chillers remove heat from the process and reject it into the surrounding air. The chiller therefore needs sufficient airflow around its air inlet and outlet to operate effectively.

Avoid positioning the chiller where airflow could be restricted, such as directly against walls, inside poorly ventilated cupboards, or where other equipment obstructs the ventilation openings.

You should also avoid arrangements where hot discharge air can be drawn back into the chiller, as this can increase the effective ambient temperature and reduce cooling performance.

An air-cooled chiller does not make the heat from your process disappear – it transfers that heat into the surrounding environment.

The room therefore needs sufficient ventilation or air conditioning to manage the heat rejected by the chiller. This can be particularly important for larger chillers, multiple units, or installations within relatively small rooms.

When planning the installation, consider both the process heat being removed and the heat generated by the chiller itself.

If the heat rejection into the room is a significant concern and a suitable facility chilled water supply is available, ask ATC whether a Water-Cooled Configuration is available for the chiller you are considering.

The ambient conditions surrounding the chiller can affect its cooling performance.

The installation location should remain within the permitted ambient operating conditions stated for the selected chiller. Avoid positioning the unit next to equipment that produces significant heat or in areas where local temperatures may be substantially higher than the general room temperature.

For applications operating in particularly warm environments, a High-Ambient Configuration may be available on compatible models.

Install the chiller in a reasonably clean environment and ensure that its ventilation openings remain unobstructed.

Dust and airborne debris can accumulate around heat-exchange surfaces and restrict airflow over time, potentially reducing performance and increasing maintenance requirements.

The area around the chiller should therefore be kept clean and the unit should remain accessible for routine inspection and maintenance.

The chiller does not necessarily need to be immediately next to the equipment it is cooling, but the complete hydraulic system should be considered when deciding where to position it.

Pipework length, diameter, fittings, height differences, and components within the process all contribute to system resistance and can affect the flow delivered by the chiller’s pump.

Where possible, keep pipework appropriately sized and avoid unnecessary restrictions.

Remember that the pump creates flow, while pressure develops as that flow encounters resistance within the connected system. If you have a particular flow and pressure requirement, provide this information to ATC when specifying your chiller.

The installation must allow a continuous coolant flow path through the system.

Restricting or completely blocking the flow path can result in excessive pressure, pump dead-heading, overheating, cavitation, reduced cooling performance, or damage to the equipment.

Any valves or other components incorporated into the customer’s system should therefore be designed and operated with the chiller’s flow requirements in mind.

Think about future maintenance when choosing the installation location.

The chiller should be positioned so that the service personnel can safely access the unit and its connections without having to dismantle surrounding equipment or move significant machinery.

Allow sufficient space for routine inspection, cleaning and maintenance as well as access to the process connections, electrical connections, and controls.

Recirculating chillers contain pumps, compressors, and, on air-cooled models, fans, so some operational noise should be expected.

Where noise is important – for example, in laboratories or other occupied working environments – consider the location of the chiller during the initial installation planning.

Where a suitable facility water supply is available, a compatible Water-Cooled Configuration may also be worth considering. In addition to reducing heat rejection into the room, water-cooled configurations can offer lower operating noise.

For a successful indoor installation, consider:

• Adequate ventilation and airflow
• Heat rejection into the surrounding room
• Ambient operating temperature
• Cleanliness of the environment
• Pipework length, sizing, and system resistance
• Maintaining a continuous coolant flow path
• Access for maintenance and servicing
• Operational noise
• Electrical supply and connection
• Safe integration with the equipment or process being cooled

If you are unsure whether a proposed location is suitable, speak to ATC before installation. Providing details of your application, installation environment, ambient temperature, pipework, and process requirements will help our team to advise on the most appropriate arrangement.