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Chiller/ Cooling Units

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The constant loads and continuous functioning of the spindle leads to a generation of a lot of heat. For proper functioning and durability of the spindle, it is very essential to remove this excess heat and this is done through a separate chiller or a cooing unit. Chillers keep the spindle cool and control spindle growth and head growth. Chillers are very essential component of spindles as they add life to the spindle and they are typically used in long cycles or high duty cycles.

What is a chiller?
The chiller is a cooling system that removes heat from one element, say water and transfers it into another element, say water or ambient air. It is a compressor based cooling system. It is similar to an air conditioner. The only difference is that it cools and controls the temperature of a liquid instead of air. The chiller also consists of a temperature controller, a reservoir and a recirculating pump.

Operation and setup of a chiller
This is very simple. The reservoir is filled with fluid to be recirculated, maybe water or an ethylene glycol or water mix. Plumbing is installed between the chiller and the application and power is provided to the chiller. The controller regulates the functions of the chiller. Once the chiller has been programmed by a user for individual needs, it will provide a stable temperature, flow and pressure. Harmful particles are kept out by an internal strainer.

Types of chiller
Portable chiller: This is a liquid cooling system on casters or wheels that can be relocated from one application to another with great ease and can be used to cool one or more heat generating devices.

Air-cooled chiller: This type absorbs heat from process water which is transferred to the surrounding air. It is used in applications where the additional heat that is discharged is not a factor. It requires less maintenance compared to water-cooled chillers. Air colled chiller eliminates the need for a condense water pump and a cooling tower. It however consumes approximately 10% more power than a water-cooled unit because a wet surface transfers heat much better than a dry surface.
Water-cooled chiller: This type of chiller absorbs heat from process water which is then transferred to a separate water source like a cooling tower, pond, river etc. It is used large capacity applications, especially when the heat generated by an air-cooled chiller creates a problem. It requires condenser water treatment to remove mineral buildup.

Selection guide: Properties of air and water cooled chillers

Water cooled chiller	Air cooled chiller
Adequate water supply available.	Adequate water supply not available.
Water supply is of good quality.	Water supply is not of good quality.
Plant ambient temperatures consistently exceed 95º F.	Plant ambient temperatures will not consistently exceed 95º F.
Ambient air is polluted with large dust and dirt particles.	Ambient air is not polluted with large dust and dirt particles.
Heat recovery is not practical or unimportant.	Heat recovery is practical and important.

Applications of chillers
Chillers are used in many industrial applications such as follows:

Plastics: In this industry chillers are used to cool the equipment used in the manufacturing process and for cooling the hot plastic that is injected, blown extruded or stamped.
Laser: Chillers are used to cool down the lasers as well the power supplies needed to power them.
Printing: Chillers are used to remove the heat generated by the printing rollers. They also cool down the paper when it comes out of the ink drying ovens.
EDM: During the cutting process, chillers keep machinery at ambient temperature.
MRI and PET Scans: Chillers are used here to cool the high powered electronics used in the machines and diagnostic tools.
Machine Tooling: Chillers are very essential to cool the spindle of the machine as it produces or holds the part. They also cool the liquid being sprayed on part itself as it is being turned on the spindle.

Need for chiller in a spindle
The speed and accuracy of production in a machining center will increase when there is a constant maintainence and a proper cooling temperature in the equipment. A chiller is very essential in a spindle because it is the only method to remove escees heat that is generated while the spindle is in operation. The chiller will reduce the number of rejected parts while at the same time increasing the number of parts produced per hour.

The above picture depicts a spindle designed with a coolant ring which has adjustable nozzles. The picture shows a coolant ring having eight adjustable nozzles which help in blasting away chips and also keep the temperature of the tool and the workpiece cool.

Tags:- Chiller Units Manufacturers, Cooling Units Suppliers, Spindle Chiller Units

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