Chillers are an essential part of a commercial air conditioning system for a start-up food processing company. Notably, chillers are not a 'fit and forget' system because they play a significant role in the cooling system of a food processing plant. Adequate and regular maintenance of chillers is critical for optimal performance. Part of the maintenance involves water treatment which must be carried out regularly to prevent system deterioration and the buildup of algae and debris. This article provides a water treatment watchlist that will help you to avert a system breakdown or food contamination.  

Always Use Inhibitors 

For the heat transfer fluid that is used in a chilled water system to work effectively, the liquid must be chilled to sub-zero temperature without freezing. It is the reason why glycol -- an anti-freeze agent -- is an essential part of a chilled water system. However, since most glycols are corrosive, plant managers must never forget to use inhibitors in the glycol system. It is especially the case in food processing plants due to the increased risk of incidental human contact and consequent contamination. Importantly, always ensure that the inhibitor concentrations in the glycol are enough to prevent food contamination. Use an NSF-accredited glycol to be on the safe side.

Use Distilled Water 

Just because water is clean doesn't mean that it is suitable for your chillers. For instance, although water might appear clear, it may contain dissolved iron in solution form. When contaminated water is mixed with glycol, the effects of the anti-freeze will be compromised as metal parts begin to corrode away. Therefore, it is critical that you put much thought and planning to the type of water you are going to mix with the glycol. The best water to use is the distilled type which you can get from a quality filtered source. Alternatively, you can use reverse-osmosis water for best results, efficiency and protection of the plant's air conditioning system.

Test Water Sample from Different Points 

The chillers in a commercial air conditioning system can suffer deterioration and corrosion at any point within the system. If you consider that most hoses are made from metal, it makes little sense to take water samples from just one area for testing purposes. You will not know the entire extent of deterioration if you do isolated water sampling, and any corrective measures taken will be akin to a band-aid solution. For thorough chiller water tests, get samples from cooling jackets, heat exchangers and every other area that has a product-fluid interface. Being contamination and corrosion risk areas, the water samples you collect will give you a good idea of the condition of the entire commercial air conditioning system.

For more information, contact a company like MTA Australasia.