Manufacturing General Purpose/ Office VAV Box
Boot with
Central Station
Air-Handler and
Chilled Water
Water Chiller(s)


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What is a Chiller?

A chiller is a machine built to satisfy a need for cooling via the chilling of a fluid, most commonly water. Chillers can be categorized as one of two basic types; those which employ a mechanical vapor compression cycle with a fluorocarbon based refrigerant, and those which use a chemical absorption process with water as the refrigerant. A variety of subtypes exist within each category.

Carrier manufactures an extensive array of chillers of both types. Mechanical vapor compression chillers most commonly utilize centrifugal, rotary screw, or reciprocating compressors. Absorption chillers are available in both single and double effect versions. All feature the quality and reliability you'd expect from the world's number one air-conditioning company.

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Mechanical vapor compression cycle chillers

Within this category of chiller there is a multitude of different types, each having its own niche within the market. Design variations within this broad family include:

While each of these considerations has an impact on a customer's choice of chiller, perhaps the most significant variable relates to the type of compressor used to move refrigerant through the vapor compression cycle. The three most common types of compressor used in today's chillers are reciprocating, rotary screw, and centrifugal.

Centrifugal and rotary screw compressor chillers are generally chosen when lifecycle cost is most important, whereas reciprocating compressor machines are chosen when first cost is most important.

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Reciprocating Chillers

The reciprocating chiller is the most common of the air conditioning water chillers that uses the mechanical vapor compression cycle. Reciprocating chillers which range from 15 to 400 tons and come in three varieties: Air-cooled, Condenserless, and Water-cooled. These designations derive from the method in which the heat of the building is rejected from the chillers.

The name reciprocating comes from the type of compressor used, which is a positive displacement device with a piston design that vacillates up and down to form compression. The chillers use either an air-cooled condenser or cooling tower for heat rejection. The air-cooled condenser can be integral to the unit or remotely located. A "condenserless" chiller is designed for remote location of the condenser.


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Rotary Screw Chillers

Once dominated by centrifugal machines, chiller sales in the 100-350 ton capacity range today are more often than not rotary screw machines, or screw chillers as they are commonly known. Screw compressors generally use one or two screw shaped rotors to squeeze refrigerant vapor into an ever decreasing volume as it traverses the rotors.

Highly efficient, and with reliability often rivaling that of centrifugal machines, screw chillers are a cost effective alternative in today's market.

Carrier manufactures two different screw chillers, to address two different market needs.

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30HXA / 30HXC

Carrier's new 30HX ranges from 100-280 tons capacity. It was designed as a cost effective and more efficient alternative to water-cooled reciprocating chillers, and features dual refrigerant circuits and HFC-134a operation.

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23XL

The 23XL screw chiller is available in capacities ranging from 150-350 tons. Considering efficiency, reliability, serviceability and sound levels during operation, it is the industry's only truly centrifugal-class screw chiller.

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Controls for Rotary Screw Chillers

Carrier's Product Integrated Control (PIC) for chillers are designed to optimize chiller performance in both stand-alone and networked applications. These advanced microprocessors-based devices are factory installed for trouble-free operation. Your chiller arrives preprogrammed to meet your precise control requirements.

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System Controls for Rotary Screw Chillers

Carrier provides two additional control systems which can be used to control the operation of multiple chillers to provide energy savings. Using the Chillervisor System, you can provide coordinated energy-savings for your centrifugal chillers and for the entire chilled water plant including water towers, pumps, and valves. Using the Water System Manager in combination with the Chillervisor System allows for additional overall energy-savings by matching the output of your chillers to the chilled water requirements of your air-handlers.

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Centrifugal Chillers

Centrifugal machines are the industry's choice for those chiller applications which require cooling capacities above approximately 350 tons. Known for their high efficiency and reliable operation, these machines often provide 20 to 30 years or more of cost-effective cooling.

Almost always of a packaged design (compressor, cooler, and condenser all located within close proximity of each other), employing a flooded cooler and a water-cooled condenser, these machines utilize a centrifugal compressor of either hermetic or open-drive type.

Dr. Willis Carrier invented the centrifugal chiller in 1927. Today, we manufacture an impressive lineup of machines, all with the quality and reliability you have come to expect from Carrier.

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The Evergreen (19XR/XRT)

The Evergreen line of centrifugal chillers was developed to optimize the product line for use with non ozone depleting chlorine free HFC-134a refrigerant. The result of this effort is a significant improvement in operating efficiency in both the standard design 19XR chiller and the high efficiency 19XRT which includes Carrier's patented energy recovery turbine design. The 19XR has capacities ranging from 350 to 800 tons; the 19XRT has capacities ranging from 350 to 525 tons.

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19XL

The 19XL line of centrifugal chillers are available with either HCFC-22 or chlorine free HFC-134a refrigerant with capacities ranging from 300 to 600 tons. The positive pressure design is up to 25% smaller than equivalent low pressure centrifugal chillers. With the bolt together design the 19XL can be easily disassembled, rigged into place, and reassembled in the plant room. This ability eliminates the need to tear down walls to rig the chiller into place. It's the ideal chiller for the growing replacement market worldwide.

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17/19EX

The Carrier 17/19EX centrifugal refrigeration machine provides an owner with industrial value at commercial competitiveness. With capacities ranging from 600 to 2300 tons, these chillers are normally applied to systems requiring tonnage's in excess of 4000 tons. The hermetic 19 series version of the EX is well suited for large building, commercial complexes, light industrial, medical complexes, and district cooling plants. The open-drive 17 series version of the EX offers compressor driver flexibility. Central energy plants, or heavy industrial sites requiring open motor, or turbine drives are served by this product. These chillers use environmentally friendly chlorine free R134a refrigerant. The no compromise flexible design of the Carrier 17/19EX makes this chiller the ideal choice for large tonnage applications.

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17DA

Carrier offers industrial grade high-efficiency packaged and site-erected centrifugal chillers for open drive applications incorporating electric or steam turbine drive equipment. Applications using refrigerant 134a to 6800 tons of chilled water duty with variations of equipment design applied to cooling tower, radiator or air-cooled requirements.

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Controls for Centrifugal Chillers

Carrier's Product Integrated Control (PIC) for chillers are designed to optimize chiller performance in both stand-alone and networked applications. These advanced microprocessors-based devices are factory installed for trouble-free operation. Your chiller arrives preprogrammed to meet your precise control requirements.

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System Controls for Centrifugal Chillers

Carrier provides two additional control systems which can be used to control the operation of multiple chillers to provide energy savings. Using the Chillervisor System, you can provide coordinated energy-savings for your centrifugal chillers and for the entire chilled water plant including water towers, pumps, and valves. Using the Water System Manager in combination with the Chillervisor System allows for additional overall energy-savings by matching the output of your chillers to the chilled water requirements of your air-handlers.

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Absorption Chillers

Absorption chillers are commercially available in three designs which employ different cycles depending on the heat source supplied to the generator. The simplest and most common type is the single effect chiller which typically uses low-pressure steam as the heat source in the generator and incorporates one stage of lithium bromide solution reconcentration. The double effect type usually employs high-pressure steam in the generator and features two stages of solution reconcentration which increases the efficiency or COP (coefficient of performance). Both of the above types are classified as indirect-fired chillers as combustion of the fuel is not taking place within the chiller itself. The third type is the direct-fired absorption chiller/heater, which utilizes the combustion of natural gas or No. 2 fuel oil inside the generator as the heat source. This type is also a double effect design (two stages of solution reconcentration) and is capable of producing chilled water as well as hot water that can be used for a variety of purposes.

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16JB Single Effect Absorption Chiller

The 16JB single effect absorption chiller is available in capacities ranging from 100 to 680 tons and utilizes either low-pressure steam or hot water as the heat source. Typical COP is 0.7 which equates to a steam rate of approximately 18 lb/hr-ton. The 16JB is available in 15 model sizes and is ideal for retrofit or new construction projects. It can be shipped fully assembled or in two pieces to simplify rigging and installation into buildings with limited access. It is especially well suited to cogeneration projects where waste heat in the form of steam or low-grade hot water are available.

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16JT Double Effect Absorption Chiller

The 16JT double effect absorption chiller operates on a heat source of high-pressure steam and boasts a nominal steam rate of less than 10 lb/hr-ton for a COP of 1.20. It is the most extensive double effect steam absorption chiller product line available in the industry today. Capacities range from 100 to 1700 tons in 31 model sizes; many of which incorporate marine style waterboxes as standard on certain heat exchangers. In addition, hinged waterbox covers on the evaporator, absorber and condenser are furnished as standard to simplify tube cleaning and maintenance. The 16JT is a compact design and also can be shipped in various knockdown configurations to ease rigging and installation.

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16DF Direct-Fired Absorption Chiller

The 16DF direct-fired double effect absorption chiller/heater ranges from 135 to 1000 tons and is available in 17 model sizes to fit almost any application. Fired by natural gas and/or No. 2 fuel oil, the 16DF features a COP of .97 which takes into account the combustion efficiency of the burner which is furnished as an integral part of the machine. It is capable of producing not only chilled water in the cooling mode, but also up to 140F hot water in the standard (2-pipe) heating mode using the evaporator as the heating bundle. When higher hot water temperatures are required, an optional auxiliary heat exchanger can be added allowing hot water temperatures up to 175F in a 4-pipe configuration. Hinged waterbox covers on the evaporator, absorber and condenser are also standard as well as marine waterboxes on select heat exchangers. Multiple-piece shipment facilitates rigging in buildings with limited access. Carrier manufactures three different absorption chillers, to address different market needs.

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Controls for Absorption Chillers

Carrier's Product Integrated Control (PIC) for chillers are designed to optimize chiller performance in both stand-alone and networked applications. These advanced microprocessors-based devices are factory installed for trouble-free operation. Your chiller arrives preprogrammed to meet your precise control requirements.

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System Controls for Absorption Chillers

Carrier provides an additional control system which can be used to control the operation of multiple chillers to provide energy savings. The Water System Manager provides energy-savings by matching the output of your absorption chillers to the chilled water requirements of your air-handlers.