What is the difference between Ordinary Chiller and Shell and tube Chiller

In modern industrial production, chillers play an indispensable role as core temperature control equipment to improve production efficiency. Different industries have different needs for chiller units, and some even require customized specialized chiller units to meet their specific requirements. Recently, we have received numerous inquiries from customers, most of which are related to shell-and-tube chiller units.In this article, Tongwei will expose the main differences between ordinary chiller and shell and tube chiller, among which their biggest difference lies in their structure and application scenarios. The following are some of the main differences:

1.The Difference on Structure:

    Ordinary chiller: usually use stainless steel coil built in water tank evaporator;

    Shell and tube chiller: The evaporator for chiller use shell and tube type called shell and tube chiller. Shell and tube evaporator consists of a shell and an internal tube, and the refrigerant flows on the shell side or tube side to exchange heat with the water on the other side. Sometimes end-user need the buffer water tank more large for chilled water ,the chiller will use shell and tube evaporator ,then end-user install the big buffer tank in their site as the limited space in chiller

Shell and Tube Chiller

2.The Difference on Heat Exchange Efficiency:

    Ordinary chiller: different types of heat exchangers have different efficiency. The heat exchanger of ordinary chiller usually use coil with low heat exchange efficiency, and the water quality requirements are higher. End-user should regularly clean the water tank to prevent the water from becoming too dirty and damaging the coils.

    Shell and tube chiller: shell and tube heat exchangers are generally resistant to dirt and scaling, and are more durable. The heat exchange efficiency is relatively higher for shell and tube chiller than ordinary chiller , and the electricity consumption will be less.

3.The Difference on Applications:

    Ordinary chiller: suitable for all kinds of general industrial and commercial cooling needs, such as air conditioning system, , plastic industry etc.

    Shell and tube chiller: The core advantages of shell and tube chillers lie in their superior reliability and powerful load capacity. Their robust casing and sturdy copper tubing design endow them with a longer service life and more stable continuous operation, enabling them to easily handle harsh industrial environments and high-intensity cooling demands. Therefore, in fields such as chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals, food processing and precision manufacturing, where temperature control requirements are extremely high and uninterrupted operation is necessary year-round, shell and tube chillers are often the more reliable choice.

Understanding the "holistic and typical" relationship between ordinary chillers and shell-and-tube chillers, along with their respective characteristics, is the first step in making a scientific selection. Different production processes, space conditions, budgets, and energy efficiency requirements will all lead to different optimal chiller solutions. This discussion will delve into these technical details to help you find the most suitable "temperature key" among the different chiller equipment options.