CHILLERS & CENTRAL COOLING

Care for the heart of your cooling plant.

Maintenance and repair support for water-cooled and air-cooled chillers and their connected systems.

Chillers & central cooling — illustrative photograph — Illustrative equipment / stock photography

01 / UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM

Chillers & central cooling in context.

A chiller cools water that circulates to air-handling units or fan-coil units. Air-cooled and water-cooled describe how the chiller rejects heat. DX equipment cools air directly through a refrigerant coil and is covered separately.

The chiller, water circuits and air-side equipment must be understood as one connected cooling plant.

Air-cooled plant

Rejects heat through outdoor air at the condenser. Coil condition, airflow and outdoor clearances matter.

Water-cooled plant

Rejects heat through condenser water, typically connected to a cooling tower and its pumps.

Chilled-water distribution

Pumps, valves, strainers, insulation and cooling coils affect how cooling reaches the building.

VISUAL EXPLAINER

See how the parts connect.

**System overview.** Read the labelled connections alongside the equipment description below. Simplified illustration; actual arrangements vary.

Read the detailed visual guide +

02 / SCOPE & CONDITION

What we look at.

Area	What matters	Why it matters
Alarms or trips	Alarm history, electrical condition and operating state	Record the exact alarm and avoid assuming one component is responsible.
Poor building cooling	Water temperatures, flow and air-side operation	A chiller reading alone does not describe the whole system.
Water-side concerns	Fouling, leakage and circulation	Treatment and cleaning requirements depend on water quality and equipment guidance.

Work that can be included

Operating condition and alarm assessment
Electrical and control fault investigation
Water-side system and component checks
Repair planning, testing and monitoring

Define the scope before work starts.

Parts, quantities, access, shutdowns and reinstatement are confirmed against your site and equipment. Additional defects or specialist works are discussed separately.

Prepare a clearer enquiry

03 / HOW THE WORK PROGRESSES

A clear route from enquiry to completion.

01
Understand the plant
Review the arrangement, equipment data and operating history.
02
Assess the fault or scope
Identify the checks and any shutdown requirements.
03
Carry out agreed works
Coordinate repairs, components and supporting mechanical works.
04
Run & monitor
Review operating conditions and any remaining recommendations.

04 / COMMON QUESTIONS

A little more clarity.

What is the difference between a chiller and DX cooling?

A chiller supplies chilled water to cooling coils. A direct-expansion (DX) system uses refrigerant at the air-cooling coil. Both rely on refrigeration, but distribute cooling differently.

Is a DX system a type of water-cooled chiller?

DX means direct expansion at the air-cooling coil. Water-cooled describes how a chiller rejects heat. They describe different aspects of an HVAC system.

Does every chiller need a cooling tower?

No. Air-cooled chillers reject heat directly to outdoor air and do not use a cooling tower for that purpose.

KEEP EXPLORING