Air Handler Rental: Air Cooled Chiller vs Chilled Water Air Handler

An air handler unit helps to control the circulation and temperature of air within an enclosed space. Chilled water air handlers and air cooled chillers work in tandem to provide cooler air and temperature maintenance to your building.

These air handling units can be used to provide temporary, supplemental, or emergency cooling to power stations, hospitals, water parks, court houses, and more. While air cooled chillers and  chilled water handlers work in tandem, there are differences between these air handler units.

What is a Chilled Water System?

A chilled water air handler is similar to an industrial HVAC unit; however, instead of using coolant, chilled water air handlers use cold water provided by an air cooled chiller to supply cold air to a building.

When determining what size chilled water air handler a building will need, the square footage of the building along with the size of the failed chilled water air handler are taken into consideration. Often, in a building with larger square footage, the system will require more chilled water air handlers.

How Does a Chilled Water System Work?

Chilled water systems are typically used inside medium-to-large-sized buildings. With a chilled water system, cold water absorbs heat from inside the building and re-distributes it outside the space.

What is an Air Cooled Chiller System?

Air-cooled chillers work cool water and dehumidify air. An air cooled chiller also absorbs heat from water, then uses fans to force heat outside of an enclosed space.

Portable air cooled chillers range in size from 15 tons to 500 tons and can be increased to 1500 tons with optional equipment. The size of the building along with the amount of chilled water air handlers the building currently has will determine which size air cooled chiller unit a building will need.

How Do Air Cooled Chillers Work?

Air cooled chillers chill water using a closed loop system for both industrial and commercial HVAC units. The air cooled chiller uses air to cool the water as it passes through the unit and then sends the water into the building’s chilled water air handler system.

Why Use Both a Chilled Water Air Handler & An Air Cooled Chiller Together?

The use of a chilled water air handler along with an air cooled chiller unit can potentially be more cost effective and efficient than a typical DX unit. The combination of these two units can also provide cooler air than a typical DX unit, making them ideal for locations that need a greater level of cooling than a typical DX unit can provide or that need very cool temperatures, such as ice skating rinks or medical, pharmaceutical, and chemical manufacturing facilities that require temperature-controlled conditions.

What to Do In the Event of Air Handler Unit Failure?

When a building has a failed air cooled chiller unit, a rental air cooled chiller is typically chosen based on the size of the unit that has failed in order to provide the amount of chilled water that the building’s HVAC unit requires.

When determining what type of air cooled chiller and/or chilled water handler you will need, your Sunbelt Rentals technician will provide units that are as close of a match as possible to the unit that has malfunctioned.

Contact Sunbelt Rentals today to get a quote on a temporary cooling system tailored to your needs. Our associates will work with you to help determine the best option for your specific situation.

Request a quote today.