Chillers have been in use for many years in industrial applications that include paint and coating manufacturing, chemical processing, food and beverage processing, cosmetics production, various plastic processes, die-casting and machine tooling, pharmaceutical formulation, vacuum systems, and power supplies. Until recently, chillers used in these applications have all been driven by fixed-speed motors and quite rudimentary control systems. While these performed adequately, maintenance requirements and operating costs tended to be quite high.
Chillers with variable-speed drives have been used for more than a decade in commercial air conditioning equipment. However, the use of these drives is not yet common in other industrial applications, as variable-speed chillers have not been available for these applications. This is beginning to change, as the inherent benefits of variable-speed drives have been recognized, and the evolution in control hardware, software and sensors has opened the door to great improvements in industrial chiller reliability, accuracy and energy efficiency.