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CHILLERS & DX UNITS

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Chiller Tubes Freezing due to a Major Refrigerant Leak or Release

In case there is a major refrigerant leak or accidental release, it results in an uncontrolled cooling in the condenser and evaporator due to rapid evaporation of the refrigerant, which tends to freeze the water in the tubes. A major refrigerant leak or release can occur due to a catastrophic failure of a fitting, or failure of a safety valve or rupture disc. If such a condition is encountered and the leak cannot be quickly isolated, the chilled and condenser water flow through the chiller should not be shutdown, since the tubes become more prone to freezing with standing water, which eventually results in tube breakage and flooding of the chiller. In case this chiller is served by common water header with the standby or other chillers, caution should be observed that the flow does not reduce through other chillers below the minimum required, due to flow being maintained through the failed chiller. It may be necessary to reduce the flow through the failed chiller to a minimum (say 20% of normal) by using manual balancing valves, such that flow through other chillers remains above the minimum required.

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Last modified:12/15/2008