Chilled water units are cooling devices used in buildings and industrial facilities to ensure reliable cooling. They typically operate within a closed-loop system, where refrigerant is used to absorb heat. Traditionally, chilled water units are powered by compression refrigeration, which can result in significant energy consumption.
Chilled water units with integrated free cooling take an innovative approach to enhance energy efficiency. They utilize the natural ambient temperature to directly cool the refrigerant, thus minimizing or eliminating the need for compression refrigeration. This is achieved through the use of a heat exchanger that releases the heat from the coolant into the surrounding air. As a result, under suitable conditions, the system can forgo the use of mechanical cooling and instead harness the free ambient cold.