Chiller Bypass Line

Our client in Walhalla, South Carolina has a new chiller bypass line for their cooling system. JDI Industrial Services continues to work on upgrading their operations and recently met to plan a day for this system upgrade.

Their system needs to be able to run continuously, so JDI was able to quickly take the system offline so that the installation could happen in a timely manner. The primary-secondary system is a design that optimizes the functioning of the chilled water system.

By dedicating separate pumps to the chiller and load, this configuration ensures maximum efficiency and reliability. The bypass pipe, connecting the supply and return pipes, plays a critical role in this system by hydraulically decoupling the chiller and coils.

While water-cooled chillers exhibit enhanced efficiency under low condenser water temperatures, there’s usually a lower limit, often around 15-18°C .

Our piping and mechanical team sent two of our finest to fabricate the carbon piping for the chiller bypass lines. Their knowledge of the plant’s system and great workmanship made the client glad to have JDI’s skillful tradesmen at the ready.

The bypass line is crucial for their productions. While water-cooled chillers exhibit enhanced efficiency under low condenser water temperatures, there’s usually a lower limit, often around 15-18°C .

The chiller bypass line, despite its simplicity, is a fundamental cog in the well-oiled machine that is any open or closed hydronic system. Ensuring its proper design and sizing is pivotal as many performance issues within chilled water systems can be traced back to inappropriately sized bypasses.

Our welders began their day at 7 AM and end by 9 PM to make sure the productions are back online in less than 24 hours.

Achieving a quick-turnaround is made more difficult with the use of TIG welding, but this type of piping requires it because the welds need to be completely sealed and strong enough to handle the pressure.

Problems resulting from bypass size discrepancies are often difficult to diagnose and, consequently, easy to overlook. As such, an inadequate bypass can silently impair system efficiency, posing continuous, unseen threats to performance and equipment longevity.

The team finishes the chiller bypass section, and then have to bolt together the section to the existing piping.

This requires the team to have made sure that all measurements have minimal error, low stress, and will be capable of fitting before the welding even occurs. Now that the section is ready, all the team has to do is use a scissor lift to reach the piping and begin connecting.

We connect the system together, make sure that everything is sealed and as tight as necessary, then communicate with the engineers to restart the chiller system. JDI’s mechanical and piping team ensure that there are no leaks and leave the work area pristine.

• 4 inch Diameter Carbon Piping
• Flanges and Collars
• 45 and 90 Elbows
• TIG Welding
• Pressure Valves
• Cooling System Ti-In, Start and Process Run

In essence, bypass installation is not just a technical requirement, but a design that demands meticulous attention to detail. Bypass lines and chilled water systems in general stand as a testament to the impact that even seemingly minor components can have on the overall functionality and efficiency of a system. Therefore, a deep understanding of bypass sizing and operation is integral to the successful design, operation, and maintenance of chilled water systems.

Our expertise is not just in the welding, but also understanding the engineers and maintenance teams’ goals and needs. JDI Industrial Services continues to be called to work on projects like the chiller bypass line because we align with the manufacturing plant teams at all times.