Size is often a critical factor in chiller selection. Footprint can impact system placement, installation, and scalability. Historically, enhancing chiller efficiency has required an increase in overall system size. In air-cooled chillers, this was typically driven by increases made to the heat exchanger surface area. Similarly, in water-cooled chillers, compressor and condenser size was often increased to deliver efficiency gains. Because of this, mechanical and facilities engineers who considered compact units were often met with capacity limitations, leaving them conflicted between system goals and building constraints.
Today, advanced chiller technology has significantly improved system performance and efficiency while also enabling a more compact design. Manufacturers are reimagining both air- and water-cooled chillers to meet stringent energy efficiency and low-global warming potential (low-GWP) refrigerant requirements. As these next-generation chillers are engineered, recent innovations provide an opportunity to enhance sustainability and decarbonization throughout the entire life cycle of the chiller, including energy efficiency, embodied carbon, and emissions. These technological advancements can also enable a reduction in the overall chiller package size and weight. In some instances, this can be as much as a 30% reduction depending on chiller type. This provides an opportunity to customize system designs to meet individual application requirements and building performance goals. It’s important to understand the innovations driving small-footprint chiller advancements leveraged in this “tailored and tuned” approach.