CASE58 · Manufacturing · Condenser-water flow tests
Testing design condenser-water flow against total chiller-plant power
Per-pump flow above design motivates staged adjustment. Pump power is evaluated together with chiller performance and tower fan electricity to locate an efficient system operating point.
01 · CASE ANALYSIS
Observed issue and improvement idea
The source diagnosed condenser-water supply per pump above design flow. It proposed adjusting flow to reduce pumping electricity.
The item was still in progress with approximately KRW 60 million/year expected benefit.
02 · CASE ANALYSIS
Baseline includes the chiller
Record pump flow, suction/discharge pressure, pump kW, condenser-water inlet/outlet temperature, RT and chiller power. Include tower fans where measured.
Plot the actual pump operating point against pump/system curves. Check parallel-pump dispatch, valves, impeller and speed rather than assuming that the design-flow number alone guarantees efficiency.
| Measurement | Boundary role |
|---|---|
| Flow and pump differential pressure | Actual hydraulic operating point |
| Condenser-water pump kW | Pumping input |
| Water inlet/outlet temperatures | Condenser heat-transfer conditions |
| RT and chiller kW | Cooling-normalized machine performance |
| Tower fan kW | Additional heat-rejection input |
03 · CASE ANALYSIS
Stepwise design-flow test
Establish a stable baseline, move gradually toward the selected flow and remeasure after stabilization. Confirm condenser conditions and chiller operating limits at each stage.
Reducing flow may reduce pump power but increase chiller power if heat transfer deteriorates. Accept the change from total-system performance, not pump power alone.
04 · CASE ANALYSIS
Normalize the combined response
System power is chiller + condenser-water pump + tower fan power. Compare system kW/RT at similar loads and ambient conditions.
Related temperature records show chiller intensity near 0.568 at 20°C, 0.567 at 20.5°C and 0.629 at 22.5°C. These are temperature observations, not direct results of this flow test.
| Step | Decision output |
|---|---|
| Pump efficiency analysis | Select flow/test candidates |
| Design-flow application | Measure actual system response |
| Stable-condition evaluation | Compare combined power and system kW/RT |
| Share and expansion review | Adopt only demonstrated feasible improvements |
05 · CASE ANALYSIS
Flow and temperature belong together
Progress to a load/flow/temperature/wet-bulb operating map if adequate data exist. Manufacturer minimum flow, condenser stability and water treatment remain constraints.
CASE62 examines temperature, while this case examines flow. Do not merge their evidence or duplicate benefits.
APPLY TO YOUR SITE
Connect your operating data to an actionable energy strategy.
Discuss the measurement boundary, data quality, operating constraints and verification approach for your facility.
Discuss your project All English cases