Initial Fitting & Welding the Piping
Industrial Chiller Mechanical & Piping
Industrial Chiller Installation Overview
JDI creates new chilled water piping for an existing industrial chiller system we installed. The automotive client’s former system was not meeting expectations, and we were contracted to overhaul the system. Because the clients productions are increasing, the older system simply could not keep up with the production run times.
Our crew of expert pipefitters and industrial mechanics began working hard to make this client happy. The client needed us to lift, position, and install the EVAPCO chillers, and the installation crew began cutting, beveling, and connecting the 4″ pieces with ease. This EVAPCO chilled water process project required pipefitting over 700 feet of carbon pipelines.
Industrial Chiller Installation Process Details
Regardless of our skill at piping, it’s imperative to us to bring our understanding of chiller systems to our clients. Expansions to existing systems present the same concerns as multiple unit installations. However, there are additional factors that we evaluate when planning a cooling tower expansion. In an expansion the new unit may not be identical to the existing one.
Whenever possible, the tops of ALL of the units should be at the same level to avoid recirculation from one unit to another. If the unit discharge heights are different, then height and weight supports are necessary. To make this possible, we install structural steel to raise the air discharges of both units to the same level.
Adequate spacing requirements between the air inlets of the new and existing units must be met. The air inlets for induced draft counterflow units are located on all four sides which are different than the previous units.
Another important consideration in a system expansion is the piping to both the existing and new units. For cooling towers piped in parallel, the overflow levels of the new and existing units cold water basins MUST be at the same elevation. This takes precedence over the equal air discharge height requirement for induced draft units.
In some cases, fan cylinder extensions are necessary so that the units have approximately the same discharge heights. Equalizer lines must be installed between adjacent units to balance the water levels of the basins during operation. For induced draft condensers and closed circuit coolers, the discharge heights must be at the same elevation. Since each unit has its own independent spray water recirculation system, maintaining the overflow levels of the cold water basins is not necessary.
Industrial Chiller: Tie-In and Start-Up
Because there is water in the existing piping that we are tying into, our pipe welding and mechanical team must make sure that water levels are lowered and depressurized by working with the plant engineers.
We make sure that we do not affect their water supply when heating the piping, and therefore create clean welds while also not overheating the cooling water or the piping when tying-in the lines.
Afterwards, when the piping is complete, our mechanical team restarts the industrial chiller system and makes sure that the process is working properly for the facility.
Tasks Included
- 2x EVAPCO ATWB units
- +700′ of Carbon Piping
- 4 inch to 8 inch Diameter Piping
- Flanges and Collars
- 45 and 90 Elbows
- MIG, Acetylene, and Stick Welding
- Pressure Valves
- Cooling System Setup, Start and Process Run
- Setting Water Levels to Normal
Results
JDI constructs, installs, and sets up the industrial chiller for the client with no problems. The engineering team is now able to deliver the necessary cooling for their production teams to run at full capacity.
Our contact, who is the lead facility engineer, has more work for us to do for their other projects because we continue to give great results.
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Reach out to our team to get a quote or start the conversation on your next project. We are dedicated to finding the best solution for your industrial needs.