Standard Maintenance and Upkeep

All equipment requires some kind of periodic maintenance. Being both vital to production and a major investment, glycol chillers are no exception. The questions are usually, “how much?” and “how often?” Although periodic maintenance on glycol chillers is minimal, it is important to have it added to your regular maintenance schedule to help avoid costly shutdowns. Basic maintenance of a glycol chiller can be performed on a quarterly basis by their owners, without any technical experience required.

Checking glycol pressure is a good way to verify pump function and that the chiller is sending out that precious, cold glycol that your process needs. An extreme dip in pressure could mean that there is a problem with the plumbing in your process, or a low glycol level in your reservoir. Which brings me to the next item: glycol level.

Checking the glycol level in your reservoir is easy to do as there is an external sight tube. Low glycol levels can cause major issues throughout the chiller. Verify the level on the sight glass is at or above the minimum indicated by the markings.

Your glycol mixture needs to be on the list as well. Checking the glycol mixture is done with a refractometer. Keeping the glycol at a 26.5 brix mixture is a must in your chiller. That works out to 35% propylene glycol to 65% water.

An air-cooled chiller needs air to work properly, and lots of it. So, it is important to check the condenser for any flattened or bent fins that could be restricting air flow. Because of the amount of air required we need to be sure that there is no debris (dirt, leaves, spent grain) clogging up the condenser. That means keeping any vegetation cut away from the chiller at all times.

A visual inspection of the machine can tell you a lot. The big thing to keep an eye on is the oil level sight glass on the compressor, making sure it is within its operating range of ½ full. Be on the lookout for anything out of the norm. Look for fluids in, on, or around the chiller that shouldn’t be there. This can be condensation that is caused by ripped, torn, or degraded insulation. It could be glycol from a leak, or sometimes some splashing while filling a reservoir, so seeing fluid doesn’t always mean there is an issue. Repairing insulation is an easy task that helps both the aesthetics of the machine, as well as its efficiency by keeping the heat away from the cold glycol being produced. This is a good time to look at any other cosmetic issues that may have developed such as missing screws, scratched or chipped coating, etc.

The items listed above are fairly basic and can help keep your machine running smoothly throughout its life. This is typically about an hour of work every three months. It is easy to tend our own wounds but a having a checkup with your doctor is a pretty good idea. Much the same with your chiller. Sourcing a reputable refrigeration technician, and having detailed maintenance done every 6 months on your chiller provides an in depth look into the machine and how it’s operating. With the technician’s specialized tools and training, we get a snapshot of the inner workings of the machine to ensure it’s in tip top shape. We can help locate a refrigeration technician in your area as well as provide periodic maintenance checklists to keep everything on track. As always, we at G&D are here to answer any questions that you may have. Feel free to reach out and we will be happy to help.