The decrease in cooling water flow rate directly leads to an increase in energy consumption during unit operation

The decrease in cooling water flow rate directly leads to an increase in energy consumption during unit operation

For every 20% decrease in cooling water flow, the energy consumption of the unit increases by 3%. The decrease in cooling water flow rate is usually caused by the following factors: the opening degree of the valve is too small; The nozzle of the cooling tower is blocked; The filter screen of the water system is dirty and blocked; There is air present in the water system. Generally, the flow rate of cooling water is controlled to match the design value by adjusting the outlet valve of the water pump. If conventional adjustment cannot solve the problem, other factors mentioned above must be considered.

Control the fluctuation of unit loading.

Most units determine whether there is a peak operation based on changes in energy consumption within 20 minutes. The peak operating load of the unit usually occurs at the beginning of the unit startup. High loads usually occur on hot summer mornings due to multiple units starting up and the high water temperature of the entire system. Limiting unit loading at the beginning of unit startup is a very effective method to reduce energy consumption. The vast majority of chillers have automatic or manual load limiting devices. It is recommended to limit the maximum load of the unit to around 60% during the first 20 minutes of operation.

To further control the peak load, the method of sequentially starting the unit can also be adopted. The start-up interval of the control unit is about 20 minutes. This avoids the situation where multiple units are loaded simultaneously, and the peak load borne by the units will gradually decrease. Controlling the loading of the unit theoretically reduces the operating cost of the unit, and the specific energy-saving effect depends on the efficiency curve of the unit itself.

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