We have an older glycol chiller with a cooling coil inside a sealed glycol reservoir (drum) and just 1 process pump. Unfortunately we've sprung a refrigerant leak somewhere inside the sealed reservoir. Removing the reservoir from the system, opening it up and repairing/replacing the coil is an option. However due to the layout of the system and the physical space around it, it's going to be tricky. And labor intensive.
My refrigeration guy is proposing installing a braised-plate heat exchanger in place of the coil. Basically we'd just switch the piping of the glycol and refrigerant from the coil to the heat exchanger and leave the reservoir in place. Has anyone every done something like this, or seen a glycol chiller that utilizes a heat exchanger that is not inside a glycol reservoir? I haven't. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. If it matters at all, we're a 7 bbl brewpub with 7 7bbl tanks and 1 15 bbl. tank. Up until now the system has functioned properly and provided adequate cooling power.
Cheers!
My refrigeration guy is proposing installing a braised-plate heat exchanger in place of the coil. Basically we'd just switch the piping of the glycol and refrigerant from the coil to the heat exchanger and leave the reservoir in place. Has anyone every done something like this, or seen a glycol chiller that utilizes a heat exchanger that is not inside a glycol reservoir? I haven't. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. If it matters at all, we're a 7 bbl brewpub with 7 7bbl tanks and 1 15 bbl. tank. Up until now the system has functioned properly and provided adequate cooling power.
Cheers!
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