We like comfort in our home, even when it is cold or hot outside. In summer, we often use air conditioners. But can an air conditioner fill a large country house with coolness? And what about a large business center? Some are of the opinion that air conditioners are only split systems that have become very popular. But we will talk about a special air conditioning technology – the chiller-fan coil system, which occupies a special place among air conditioning devices. This technology makes it possible to create the indoor climate and maintain the desired conditions all year round, without interruptions. In summer, the air flows are cooled, in winter they are heated.

The role of the refrigeration machine is performed by the chiller – the outdoor unit that generates cold and transfers it through pipes with the liquid circulating in them. This is where the difference of the chiller-fan coil system from other split systems lies – no coolant is used. The task of the chiller is to generate cold and direct it to consumers. The cooled liquid is then piped to another heat exchanger – the fan coil – which is present in all rooms. There the water is heated and cools the room air before being returned to the chiller.

Advantages and disadvantages of the technology

Among the advantages of the chiller-fan coil system, the following points should be noted:

– Versatile use: Most split systems stop working when the outside temperature is low. The air conditioning technology under consideration works all year round at any temperature. A different temperature can be maintained in each room if necessary.

– Unlimited length of pipes: With the help of an efficient pump, the distance between the chiller and the fan coil can be several kilometers. This allows only one chiller to be installed in a large building.

– Easy installation: Only a minimal area is required to install the device.

– Low installation costs: Low-cost couplings made of copper and simple water pipes are used to transport the refrigerant.
– Formation of independent microclimate parameters in each room by installing a large number of fan coils. Their number depends on the power of the chiller, and the distance is determined by the power of the pump.
– Safe use: the heat carrier is a liquid, not a gas, as is the case with split systems. This significantly reduces the risk of accidents.

The installation is compact enough to efficiently use the available space, avoid the purchase of bulky heat exchangers, many condensers and outdoor units, and increase environmental safety by eliminating the need for refrigerants.

Now let’s name the disadvantages of the chiller fan coil system:

– No direct control over air circulation: to ensure a supply of fresh air from the outside, additional facilities or a separate ventilation system are required.
– Installation requires specialists: due to the considerable weight of the chiller, several specialists are required for installation. All installation work must be carried out before the completion of the finishing work.
– Complex technical maintenance: it is not enough to simply install the system. It requires regular checks of operational capability, which require additional personnel.

A chiller is a machine used in pipelines to cool liquids. It transfers heat from the liquid to the air in the room by changing the state of the refrigerant. There are many variations of chillers, which make it possible to choose the right model for any type of building. A chiller also has other applications. For example, it is suitable for filling an ice rink or for cooling medical preparations. Often a chiller is located on the roof or in a technical room.

A fan coil is a device used to cool the air. The cooling of the air is done by a liquid circulating through a heat exchanger. There are different types and variations of fan coils. Usually it is supplied together with a 3-way valve, which is used to precisely regulate the refrigerant consumption and to maintain the system. The key elements are the heat exchanger and the blower. This simple design ensures a long service life of the fan coil, a low price and minimal maintenance costs.

Several fan coils can be installed in one room, similar to traditional heaters. The number of devices depends on the size of the room and the desired air temperatures. Fan coils are divided into the following types depending on their positioning:

-Duct fan coils
-Cassette or ceiling fan coils
-Floor or wall fan coils
-Wall fan coils
The operation of a chiller fan coil system is another feature of this technology. Air conditioning is carried out by a somewhat unusual refrigerant, which can be either water or ethylene glycol. The most important thing here is the ability to allow different temperature settings in each room of a building. All users can independently set their individually preferred comfort temperature.

The system consists of the following elements:

-Chiller: The device cools or heats the fluid in the system.

-Fan coil: A heat exchanger through which cooled or warm air flows.

-Main lines: Pipelines for circulating the medium.
-Pump for circulating the medium through the pipes.
-Control unit.
-Refrigerant.
The chiller fan coil system is quite simple. The chiller cools the water to the desired temperature. With the help of the pump, the cooled water is fed through insulated pipes to the fan coil, which is installed inside the building and serves as an air conditioning system. The fan coil is similar to a conventional indoor unit of a split air conditioning system. However, it works with a liquid-based system that is heated by the thermal energy of the room air and then returned to the chiller.

Area of ​​application:

Thanks to this technology, comfortable conditions can be created in several rooms at the same time. The equipment is used in many different areas, such as:

-Large warehouses and industrial facilities.
-Office buildings, shopping centers, hotels, cafes, restaurants.
-Medical facilities, hospitals, clinics.
-Multi-storey business centers.
-Educational institutions, schools, kindergartens.
-Supermarkets, shops.
Installation can be carried out in rooms intended for the accommodation of computer systems and equipment, server rooms and telephone exchanges. Often, a chiller-fan coil unit is also purchased for large residential buildings or multi-room apartments.

When choosing and purchasing a chiller-fan coil unit, several technical parameters must be taken into account:

-Power of the unit, that is, its ability to produce cold.

-Noise level during operation.

-Energy consumption.

-Presence of automatic control.

-Environmental friendliness and safety.

-Size of the equipment and required installation area.

The price of an air conditioner is made up of several components. Both technical parameters and the brand can affect the price. After evaluating all the parameters and calculating the required power, a suitable chiller-fan coil unit can be selected that is appropriate not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of price and maintenance costs.