Chiller Heat Recovery Design

Julian de Bullet
Director of Industry Relations
McQuay International

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 1

Why Consider Heat Recovery?

Green Is Good (For

Business)
– Conservation of Natural
Resources

Lower Annual Energy
Usage
– Reduce Operating Cost

Provide a Good Life Cycle
Analysis

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 2

 Why Consider Heat Recovery?

Air Or Water Side

Economizers Are Not Required
If:
– “Systems That include A
Condenser Heat Recovery
System Complying With
6.3.6.2” (6.3.1)

Simultaneous Heating And
Cooling Is Allowed If:
– “At Least 75% Of Reheat
Energy Is Provided By Site
Recovered Energy Source”
(6.3.2.1)

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 3

 Why Consider Heat Recovery?

Air Side Energy Recovery

(MUAs) Not Required If:
– “60% or More of Outdoor Heat
Energy Is Provided From Site
Recovered Energy” (6.3.6.1)

Condenser Heat Recovery
Required For Domestic Hot
Water Systems That:
– Operate 24 Hr/Day
– Total THR Is > 6 Million Btu/Hr
 (400 Ton System)
– DHW Load Is > 1 Million Btu/Hr

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 4

Why Consider Heat Recovery?

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design)

Score Points For Reducing Energy Cost Below ASHRAE
Std 90.1

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 5

Heat Recovery Requirements
Simultaneous Heating And Cooling

BTU/ft^2

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month
Heating Cooling

The Potential Heat Recovery At Any Point In Time

Is The Lesser Of The Heat Source Or The Heat
Load
Chiller Course - Condenser HR 6
Heat Recovery Requirements
Domestic Hot Water

BTU/ft^2

0 6 12 18 24

Hour Of The Day

Domestic Hot Water Use Boiler Power

Heat Recovery Can Be Used For Preheat Or

Charge Mode

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 7

VAV With Reheat

VAV Boxes Require Reheat When Minimum Flowrate Is Reached

Generally Occurs In Mild Or Cold Weather (Winter)

Can Happen During Morning Warm-up Any Season

Airside Economizers Will Remove Source

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 8

 Constant Volume With Reheat

Reheat Used To Warm (55°F) Supply Air As Required By Each Zone

Required Even On A Design Day

High Reheat Loads In Cold Weather

Airside Economizers Will Remove Source

Excellent Choice For Heat Recovery
Chiller Course - Condenser HR 9
Fancoils

Hot Water Used Whenever A Zone Has A Heat Load

Four Pipe System Only

Most Buildings Require Hot Water And Chilled Water In Winter

WaterSide Economizers Will Remove Source

Excellent Choice For Heat Recovery
Chiller Course - Condenser HR 10
Unit Ventilators

Unit Ventilators Require Heat When There Is a Heat Load

Dehumidification May Require Reheat

Generally Occurs In Mild Or Cold Weather (Winter)

Can Happen During Morning Warm-up Any Season

Airside Economizers Will Remove Source

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 11

Multizone

Multizone Control Logic May Require Simultaneous Heating

And Cooling
– Only Allowed By Std 90.1 If Reheat Is From Reclaimed Source

Generally Occurs In Mild Or Cold Weather (Winter)

Can Happen During Morning Warm-up Any Season
Chiller Course - Condenser HR 12
Single Condenser HR Design
Boiler Loop
Chilled Water
Pump
Cooling Tower

Condenser Water
Pump

Heat Exchanger

Heat Exchanger
3-Way Bypass
Pump
Valve

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 13

Split Condenser HR Design
Cooling Tower Boiler Loop

Split Condenser
Heat Recovery
Chiller

Chilled Water
Pump

Heat Recovery
Pump
3 Way Bypass
Valve

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 14

Heat Recovery Design

Generally Design Boiler Load Greater Than
Design Chiller THR (Total Heat of Rejection)
– Actual Design Heat Recovery Rate Requires Annual
Energy Analysis
– Almost Never Boiler Or THR Design Capacity
– Load Will Be Met By Combination Of HR And Boiler

THR = 1.25 x Chiller Capacity

Only One Chiller Need Be HR Type In Multiple
Chiller Plant
– Must Be First On, Last Off
– System Designs That Backload Chiller Improve HR

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 15

Heat Recovery Design

Boiler Temperature Range Typically 20°F (180-160°F)

Condenser Loop Temperature Range 10°F (95-105°F)

Size Heat Recovery Loop For Design Load
– 3 gpm Per Design Ton At 10°F Range
– This Must Be Less Than The Boiler Flow Rate

Two Control Schemes

– Maintain Boiler Supply Water Temperature
– Maintain Boiler Return Water Temperature

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 16

 Maintain Boiler Supply W.T.

Load Water Temperature

Range Proportional To THR

If Boiler Load = 25% Then Condenser Refrigera
nt Temperature

Range = 5°F (Based 20°F 105 Heat Recovery Supply

Temperature
Range) H.R. Cond. W
ater Return

Maintaining 105°F SWT Will 95

Require 100°F Return Load

Leaving Chilled Water
Water 44
Evaporator Refrigerant
Temperature

Guarantees High Lift On
Chiller
100
– Surging 10 50
% Cooling Load
– Hot Gas Bypass

Still Need Boiler “Trim”

Not Recommended

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 17

 Maintain Boiler Return W.T.

ture

If Boiler Load = 25% Then n t T emp
era
igera
Range = 5°F (Based 20°F se r Refr
de n
Con upply
105 overy S
Range) He a t R e c

Temperature

Maintaining 95°F RWT Will H.R. Cond. Water Return
95
Provide 100°F Boiler Supply
Temperature Leaving Chilled Water
44

Minimizes Chiller Lift Evaporator Refrigerant
Temperature

Boiler Will “Trim” to Meet

Required Supply Temperature 100
10 50

Recommended % Cooling Load

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 18

Heat Recovery Control
“During Heat Recovery Mode, Maintain Boiler
Return Water Temperature At 95ºF”
– Boiler Supply Water Temperature Will “Float” Depending
On Actual Heating Load In Building
– 25% Boiler Load = 100°F SWT (5°F Temperature Range)
Not
“During Heat Recovery Mode, Maintain Boiler
Supply Water Temperature At 105ºF”
– 25% Boiler Load = 100°F RWT
– Entering Condenser WT will be 5°F Higher Than Above
– Boiler Will Still Be Required
– Same Amount Of Energy Will Be Recovered
– Chiller will Work A Lot (10%) Harder
Chiller Course - Condenser HR 19
Selecting HR Chiller

HR Design Capacity Can

Be All Or Part Of Chiller
THR
– 100 Ton Chiller
– 125 Tons THR
– HR Can Be 0 to 125 Tons

Chiller Size Should be
Matched To Source Load
During HR
– Keep The Chiller Loaded!

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 20

What Is A Heat Pump Chiller

A Water To Water Heat

Recovery Device

A Heatpump

Provides Hot Water At A
Specified Temperature
Using Waste Heat From A
Low Temperature Loop

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 21

Design
Chilled Water Boiler Loop
Pump

Condenser Cooling Tower

Water Pump

Std. Chiller

Heat Pump

95 °F 85 °F

130 °F 140 °F 3-Way Bypass

85 °F Valve

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 22

Design

Boiler Temperature Range Typically 20°F (180-160°F)

Source Chiller Condenser Loop Temperature Range
10°F (65-75°F)

If Source Chiller THR Larger Than Heat Pump Try To
Use 5°F On Source Side To Improve Performance
 Bypass Balance Of Condenser Water Around Heat Pump
 Use 10°F Temperature Range On Load Side

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 23

Impact To Rest Of HVAC System

105°F Supply Water From HR Chillers Will

Require Different Size Reheat Coils
– Increased Capital Cost
– Fan BHP Penalty (Can Be Significant)

140-160°F Supply Water From Heat Pump Can

Use Same Size Coils In Most Cases
– The Small Loss In Performance From 180°F Design
Condition Is Acceptable Due To Smaller Loads

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 24

Sizing HR Chillers

Airside Energy Recovery Systems Are

Sized Based On Design Load Conditions

Water Side Energy Recovery Must Be

Sized During Part Load Conditions

Requires Annual Energy Analysis

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 25

Sizing HR Chillers

Using the THR Of Chillers Rated Cooling Capacity

For HR Design Is Not Recommended
– Undersized Chiller Will Miss HR Opportunity
– Oversized Chiller Will Waste Capital
– Possible Surge Issues

Manual Method Described In ASHRAE Chiller

Heat Recovery Application Guide

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 26

Example

Acute Care Hospital In Chicago

– 480,000 ft², 3 Story

– 1600 ton Chiller Plant

– 22,000 MBH Boiler Plant

– Constant volume With Reheat

– 409,330 CFM Supply Air

– 192,000 CFM Ventilation Air

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 27

Example

Option 1 - Base Building

– Two 800 Ton Centrifugals

Option 2 -
– 472 Ton Heat Pump 4.4 COP
– Two 800 Ton Centrifugals

Option 3 - Heat Recovery Chiller

– 400 Ton Split Condenser Heat Recovery Chiller 0.73
kW/ton
– 1200 Ton Centrifugal

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 28

Example - Option 2 Heat Pump

140°F Hot Water

70 °F Entering Source Water
– 5 °F Source Temperature Range
– 2200 US Gpm

Source Chiller Condenser Pump Head Increased
By 20 Ft

Hot Water Tertiary Pump Added

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 29

Example - Option 3 Heat Recovery

400 Ton Chiller Size Optimized For Heat Recovery

Load (5,324,226 Btu/hr)

105°F Hot Water

Supply Fan Static Pressure Increased By 0.20 In.
To Offset Deeper Heating Coils

Hot Water Tertiary Pump Added

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 30

Results
14000000

12000000

10000000

8000000
kWh

6000000

4000000

2000000

0
Chillers Pumps Towers Fans Boiler HW Pumps

Base Building Templifier HR Chiller

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 31

Results

Chiller Work Increased
– 55% Due To Heat Pump
– 18% Due To HR Chiller

Heat Pump Work Increased 15% Due To
Condenser Pump

HR Supply Fan Work Increased 4% Due To Higher
Static Pressure

Hot Water Pump Work Increased 25%Due to
Additional Circulation Pump

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 32

Results

Tower Work Decreased 21% Due To Reduced

Rejection

Boiler Work Reduced
– 34% Due To Heat Pump
– 28% Due To Heat Recovery Chiller

Additional Savings Occur When Load > Source
– HR Option Only Has THR From HR Chiller
– Heat Pump Options Has Source Chiller THR + Heat
Pump Compressor Work

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 33

Results

Both Energy Recovery Options Saved Over 6

Million kBtu/yr

Heat Pump Saved $108,000/yr

Payback Less Than 2 years

80% IRR

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 34

Conclusions

Water Side Energy Recovery Good Option

Requires Annual Energy Analysis To Optimize

Heat Pump Provides 140 To 160°F Hot Water
– Domestic Hot Water Heating Possible
– Domestic Hot Water Preheat Only With HR Chillers

Right Applications Energy Savings And Financial
Savings Can Be Significant

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 35

Why Consider Heat Recovery?

Green Is Good (For

Business)
– Conservation of Natural
Resources

Lower Annual Energy
Usage
– Reduce Operating Cost

Provide a Good Life Cycle
Analysis

THANK YOU!

Chiller Course - Condenser HR 36