Why Process Chillers Are Essential for Reliable Industrial Production

Temperature can have a direct impact on the speed, consistency and quality of an industrial process. Manufacturing equipment generates heat, materials can react differently as temperatures change, and some production processes need to remain within a narrow temperature range to produce consistent results.

For businesses that depend on controlled cooling, process chillers provide a reliable method of removing unwanted heat and maintaining the required operating temperature.

Unlike comfort cooling systems, which primarily control the temperature of occupied buildings, process cooling is focused on machinery, products, ingredients and manufacturing operations. The cooling system therefore needs to respond to the demands of the process itself, which may operate continuously and experience significant changes in thermal load.

Selecting the correct process chillers can help manufacturers maintain tighter temperature control, reduce production interruptions and support more consistent output.

What Are Process Chillers?

Process chillers are refrigeration systems that remove heat generated during an industrial or manufacturing process.

They usually circulate chilled water or a water and glycol solution through equipment or machinery. The fluid absorbs unwanted heat before returning to the chiller, where the heat is removed through the refrigeration cycle. The cooled fluid can then return to the process and repeat the cycle.

The basic refrigeration circuit includes a compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator. Together, these components transfer heat away from the process fluid and reject it elsewhere.

Although the principle sounds straightforward, industrial cooling requirements can vary considerably. Flow rates, required fluid temperatures, operating conditions, process loads and pipework arrangements can all affect the type and capacity of chiller required.

Why Temperature Control Matters in Manufacturing

Industrial processes often generate large amounts of heat.

Motors, hydraulic systems, production machinery and manufacturing processes can all raise temperatures during operation. Without suitable cooling, excess heat can begin to affect machinery, materials and finished products.

Even relatively small temperature changes can matter when a production process depends on repeatable operating conditions.

Process cooling may therefore be required to:

• Maintain a set production temperature
• Remove heat generated by machinery
• Cool materials during manufacturing
• Control temperatures within production equipment
• Protect heat-sensitive components
• Maintain consistent production conditions
• Support faster cooling between manufacturing stages
• Manage changing thermal loads during production

Effective temperature control can become particularly important on production lines that run for long periods or operate continuously.

Where Are Process Chillers Used?

Process chillers can support many different industrial applications.

Food and Beverage Production

Food and drink manufacturers often rely on controlled temperatures at multiple stages of production.

Cooling may be required for ingredients, mixing vessels, processing equipment, storage systems or finished products. Maintaining the correct temperature can help manufacturers achieve consistent production conditions while managing heat generated by machinery and processing.

Plastics and Rubber Manufacturing

Heat is an essential part of many plastics manufacturing processes, but that heat must often be removed quickly once a product has been formed.

Injection moulding is one common example. Moulds must be cooled so that the plastic can solidify before the finished component is removed. Effective cooling can therefore influence cycle times as well as the consistency of the finished product.

Similar requirements can occur across extrusion and other plastics or rubber processing applications.

Chemical and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Temperature control can be particularly important where materials or chemical reactions are sensitive to changes in heat.

A process chiller can provide controlled cooling to production vessels, reactors and associated equipment, helping operators maintain the required operating conditions throughout a manufacturing cycle.

Metalworking and Engineering

Machining and other engineering operations can generate considerable amounts of heat through friction.

Industrial cooling can be used to manage temperatures within machinery, cutting equipment, hydraulic systems and associated processes.

Medical and Scientific Applications

Some laboratory, scientific and medical equipment requires a stable supply of chilled fluid to manage operating temperatures.

Changes in temperature could affect equipment performance, so dedicated process cooling can provide a consistent source of cooling rather than depending on surrounding room conditions.

Newsome supplies temperature control equipment across sectors including food production, chemical and pharmaceutical processing, plastics and rubber, medical and scientific applications and metalworking.

Process Chillers and Changing Cooling Loads

One of the challenges in industrial cooling is that the amount of heat being produced does not always remain constant.

A production line may experience higher loads during busy periods. Machinery may generate more heat at certain points in its operating cycle, while another process could switch between different products or production speeds.

The cooling system needs to cope with these variations without allowing the process temperature to fluctuate excessively.

Some industrial process chillers use integrated buffer tanks to provide additional chilled fluid capacity. This can help the system manage sudden changes in thermal load while reducing frequent compressor starts and stops. Newsome's process chiller range includes systems designed to accommodate variable process loads, different temperatures, fluids and flow rates.

How Does a Process Chiller Work?

A process chiller transfers unwanted heat using a refrigeration cycle.

First, the process fluid circulates through machinery or production equipment, where it absorbs heat.

The heated fluid returns to the chiller and passes through an evaporator. Refrigerant within the chiller absorbs heat from the process fluid.

The compressor then raises the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant. The refrigerant moves to the condenser, where the absorbed heat is rejected.

An expansion valve reduces the refrigerant pressure and temperature before it returns to the evaporator, allowing the refrigeration cycle to begin again.

The cooled process fluid can then circulate back through the manufacturing equipment.

This continuous cycle allows industrial equipment to operate within a controlled temperature range for extended periods.

Water or Water and Glycol Cooling?

The fluid circulating through a process cooling system will depend on the required operating temperature and application.

Water can provide effective heat transfer for many standard process cooling applications.

However, applications operating at lower temperatures may require a water and glycol mixture. Glycol reduces the freezing point of the fluid, allowing the cooling system to operate below temperatures where untreated water could freeze.

The required glycol concentration should be considered during system specification, as it can influence fluid properties, pumping requirements and heat transfer.

Newsome's process chiller range includes equipment capable of supplying chilled fluid at sub-zero temperatures, with individual units designed for different operating ranges and process requirements.

Choosing the Correct Process Chiller Capacity

Selecting a process chiller based purely on the physical size of the machine can result in an unsuitable system.

The required cooling capacity depends on the heat that must be removed from the process.

Engineers may need to consider factors such as:

• Process heat load
• Required supply and return temperatures
• Fluid flow rate
• Type and concentration of cooling fluid
• Ambient conditions
• Operating hours
• Pipework arrangement
• Pressure requirements
• Changes in production demand
• Future production requirements

An undersized chiller may struggle to maintain the required temperature during peak production.

Significant oversizing can also create unnecessary capital and operating costs. The aim should be to select equipment that matches the actual demands of the process while allowing suitable provision for operating conditions and future requirements.

A technical site survey can help establish these requirements before a new process cooling system is specified.

Process Chiller Efficiency and Running Costs

Industrial cooling systems can operate for thousands of hours each year, meaning energy consumption can become a significant part of operating expenditure.

Efficiency should therefore be considered alongside initial purchase cost.

A chiller that costs less to purchase may prove more expensive over its operating life if it consumes considerably more electricity.

Manufacturers assessing a cooling system should consider factors such as operating load, compressor control, pump requirements, condenser performance and the temperatures required by the process.

The condition of existing equipment should also be considered. Ageing chillers may become less efficient over time, particularly where components are worn, heat exchangers are contaminated or control systems are outdated.

Replacing or upgrading older cooling equipment may provide an opportunity to reassess the complete cooling requirement rather than simply selecting a direct replacement.

Maintaining Process Chillers

Maintenance is particularly important where process cooling forms part of an essential production operation.

A chiller failure may affect far more than the cooling equipment itself. If production cannot continue without controlled cooling, a breakdown can stop machinery and interrupt output.

Planned chiller maintenance can help engineers identify potential issues before they develop into more serious faults.

Maintenance requirements will vary according to the type of equipment, but checks may include refrigerant systems, pumps, controls, electrical components, heat exchangers, filters and fluid circuits.

Businesses should also consider contingency planning for cooling systems that support production-critical operations.

Newsome provides chiller servicing, maintenance, repair and breakdown support alongside equipment sales and hire.

When Process Chiller Hire Can Help

Purchasing equipment is not always the right solution.

Temporary process chiller hire can provide additional cooling capacity during periods where requirements are likely to change.

This could include:

• Planned maintenance of an existing chiller
• Unexpected equipment failure
• Seasonal increases in production
• Temporary production lines
• Factory upgrades
• Cooling trials
• Additional capacity during peak demand
• Planned replacement projects

Temporary equipment can also allow manufacturers to maintain production while permanent cooling systems are repaired or replaced.

Newsome operates a UK process chiller hire fleet with units covering a wide range of cooling duties and temperature requirements. Its process chiller offering includes smaller packaged units through to equipment intended for much larger industrial cooling applications.

Planning for Future Production Requirements

Cooling requirements can change as manufacturing sites develop.

Production volumes may increase, new machinery may be installed or additional shifts may be introduced. A process cooling system that was correctly specified several years ago may eventually struggle to meet increased demand.

Businesses planning an expansion should therefore consider process cooling early in the project.

This can help determine whether existing chillers have sufficient spare capacity or whether additional equipment will be required.

It also provides an opportunity to review pipework, pumps, controls and cooling distribution rather than treating the chiller as an isolated piece of equipment.

Process Cooling as Part of the Production Process

Process cooling can easily remain unnoticed while everything is working correctly. Yet many production operations depend on it every hour that machinery is running.

Stable temperatures support controlled manufacturing conditions, while reliable cooling helps equipment continue operating under demanding loads.

The correct process chiller, therefore, needs to be selected around the application, rather than treated as a standard piece of cooling equipment.

Newsome has more than 50 years of experience supplying temperature and humidity control equipment for industrial applications. The company provides process chiller sales, hire, installation, commissioning, maintenance and contingency support across the UK. Its packaged process cooling solutions cover temperatures between approximately -40°C and +30°C, depending on system specification and application.

For manufacturers reviewing an existing cooling system, increasing production capacity or planning a new installation, Newsome can assess the process requirements and recommend a suitable process chiller solution.