Free Cooling Systems for Efficient Industrial Processes
A comprehensive range of free coolers for all types of application and requirements.
What is Free Cooling?
Free cooling is a method of using ambient air to reduce the temperature of process fluids, significantly lowering energy usage when compared to traditional mechanical cooling systems. It’s referred to as “free” cooling because you’re using the ambient, or “free” air, to cool.
Whether you are looking for standalone free coolers or highly efficient chillers with integrated free cooling, we can help ensure that you get the most efficient and practical solution for your site and application.
If you’re using refrigeration chillers to cool fluid to 8˚C or above, free cooling technology provides incredible energy savings, which our trained engineers will be able to demonstrate with a complimentary energy analysis. They’ll compare the energy consumption of your existing system to a new system with either integrated or bolt-on free cooling, so you can make an informed choice.
Alternatively, our free cooling calculator below, will give you an indication of the savings you could make retro fitting free cooling to your existing system.
Benefits of Free Cooling Systems
Free cooling systems use ambient air rather than the energy intensive mechanical refrigeration process. This dramatically cuts energy consumption and subsequent costs. Plus, the mechanical components are used less so maintenance costs reduce and equipment life time extends. The ambient air temperature determines whether partial or full free cooling is achieved but, with UK temperatures, it’s possible to benefit from free cooling for much of the year. Also, because of the cost savings, payback on equipment costs is normally very fast.
How Do I Add Free Cooling?
There are two ways to add free cooling to your process. You can choose a chiller that has free cooling built into it, often referred to as integrated free cooling. Or, you can opt for an independent free cooling unit working alongside a chiller.
Both options have benefits. For example, the standalone free cooler and chiller have a greater sized footprint, but the larger surface area of the free cooler makes cooling more efficient.
If you have an existing chiller, you can upgrade to free cooling by adding a free cooling unit, this is known as retro fitting.
Our team will help you decide on the best choice for your specific process and requirements.
Aqua has a range of chillers with fully integrated free cooling – our Aqua EcoPro range. These units have been designed specifically for process applications and give a fully packaged solution. Cooling capacity ranges from 30kW to MW+ and units work with fluid temperatures from -25°C to +30°C.
How Does Free Cooling Work?
When the ambient air temperature drops below the temperature of the process return fluid, the ambient air can take care of the cooling.
The average ambient temperature in the UK is 11°C. With most industrial process cooling applications working with a water leaving temperature of 10°C or more, free low ambient temperature air can be used to cool the process water for much of the year.
As the air temperature decreases, the amount of heated air that can be removed increases. Partial free cooling occurs at just 1°C below the process return temperature. If the temperature is low enough – as little as 3°C below the chilled water outlet temperature – total free cooling can be achieved.
Whilst savings with partial free cooling are good, they become really impressive when total free cooling is achieved. For example, a 300kW system, operating with a 15°C fluid temp, could save over £100K a year, (dependent on energy tariff) and save 228,000kg of CO2.
Standalone Free Cooler or Free Cooling Chiller?
A standalone free cooling system involves an independent free cooling unit working alongside a chiller. The alternative would be to choose a chiller with an integrated free cooling coil – for more information on our free cooling chiller range click here.
Either option provides benefits – the standalone free cooler and chiller have a greater footprint, but the larger surface area of the free cooler makes cooling more efficient. The standalone configuration can also provide 100% free cooling at a higher ambient air temperature.
Free Cooler System Design,
Specification, Installation & Commissioning
No matter how complicated or simple your requirement is, our in-house team can advise you, design and specify the exact system you need.
Our free coolers are quick and easy to install; however, we can take care of your project from start to finish, from system design to delivery to your site, installation, and commissioning.
Units come with inverter driven or EC fans for optimum efficiency and are available in flatbed style, V block style or vertical, which is ideal if space is limited. All our free cooler units can be customised to your specific application, site, and process.
Our highly qualified engineers are always on hand to provide any advice or support you with our preventative maintenance plans and emergency breakdown service.
Energy Savings and Environmental Impact
Free cooling from Aqua can cut energy usage by over 80%+ when compared to a typical refrigeration system. It significantly reduces the amount of energy a business or process uses. Free cooling reduces operating costs, and is a better, greener choice for the planet. It also keeps maintenance costs at a minimum, extends equipment life time and achieves quick return on investment.
Aqua offers optimised free cooling, which means our units can achieve free cooling at a much higher temperature than previously possible. This is due to the innovative arrangement of the condenser coil within our Aqua EcoPro chillers. They’ve been designed to maximise free cooling potential, so each model has an in-built free cooling coil with the largest surface area possible for its respective footprint.
Most free cooling chillers can achieve free cooling within 10°C of ambient temperature. However, our units can achieve free cooling within just 3°C, a difference of 7°C+ over competitor units.
Partial free cooling achieves solid savings, but things become really impressive when total free cooling is achieved. We estimate that a business operating a 300kW system, with a 15°C fluid temp, could save over £100K a year, (dependent on energy tariff) and save 228,000kg of CO2.
Our Aqua EcoPro range also operates on low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerant, R454B. This refrigerant has a rating of just 466 GWP, which is 70% less than R410A.
Applications in Industrial Process Settings
Free cooling can be applied across many industry sectors. In general, if you’re using refrigeration chillers to cool fluid to 8°C or above, you can benefit from considering free cooling. Aqua have supplied, designed and installed free cooling solutions to clients operating in the following settings to name just a few:
- Plastics
- Packaging & Rubber
- Data Centres
- Facilities Management
- Chemical & Pharmaceutical
- Food & Beverage
Why Choose Aqua Cooling?
When it comes to free cooling, Aqua were first in the UK to offer optimised free cooling. Our units can achieve free cooling within a 3°C of ambient, compared to the industry standard of 10°C+.
Aqua has 25 years experience of providing temperature control solutions across the UK and overseas. We were a proud recipient of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise (2015) and have won a number of industry awards and accreditations. We design, supply and install solutions for clients from a diverse range of industry sectors, including food & beverage, plastics & packaging, manufacturing, data centres, chemical, pharmaceutical & medical, oil & gas, automotive and facilities management.
Customised Solutions for Your Facility
Aqua can support all temperature control requirements. Whether you’re looking for a single free cooler or a completely bespoke, turnkey free cooling system, we can help.
We have UK based, in-house teams that look after everything from design, mechanical services, project management, installation and commissioning. Our mechanical services team are well equipped to support with customised solutions and will build chillers, coolers and cooling skids to order.
Depending on the intricacies of your specific process requirements, it’s worth noting that our standard Aqua Pro chillers are highly configurable. For example, for clients working in noise-sensitive environments we can select low noise fans and soundproofing options. Or, if the site is based near the sea, we can select a corrosion-resistant finish to the chiller’s condenser coil and exterior panelling.
Get a Quote or Consultation
Design & Installation
A Complete 360° Service including:
Design Consultancy
Free design consultancy including AutoCAD drawings, 3D modelling and energy calculations.
Project Management
Encompassing civil works, offloading & positioning, pipework installation, mains power & cabling, commissioning and CDM compliance. All our Engineers are F-Gas accredited specialists and manage work according to agreed RAMS and site-specific H&S conditions.
Aftersales Support
Including preventative maintenance service plans to maximise efficiency and extend product lifespan. We can also help with spare parts, glycol, and water treatment.
Download our Data Sheets
We have created a range of pdf data sheets for you to download and look at in detail. Each will have technical specifications as well as other useful pieces of information to help you decide which one to hire.
Please click below to view our datasheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a free cooler and how does it work?
A free cooler is a heat exchanger that uses ambient air to cool a process or building fluid circuit without mechanical refrigeration. When the outdoor air is cold enough it removes heat passively via fans and coils. Think of it as getting cooling for free from the weather.
When is a free cooler a good investment?
A free cooler makes sense wherever you need to run cooling for long periods and ambient temperatures are often low enough to provide useful heat rejection as energy usage is substantially reduced. Data centres, pharmaceutical facilities, and manufacturing plants running 24/7 cooling loads in the UK climate are ideal candidates.
Can a free cooler work alongside an existing chiller?
Yes. Free coolers are often added to an existing chiller system to reduce energy consumption. During colder months the free cooler handles all or most of the heat rejection and the chiller compressors can rest significantly extending their working life.
What is the payback period on a free cooler installation?
Payback periods vary based on your existing energy costs and how many hours of free cooling your site can benefit from. In many 24/7 applications payback within two to four years is achievable. Aqua can carry out an energy savings calculation specific to your site.
Does a free cooler require much maintenance?
Free coolers have relatively few moving parts compared to refrigeration-based systems. Regular maintenance involves coil cleaning, fan checks, and glycol monitoring. Aqua can include your free cooler in a planned maintenance schedule.
Free Cooling Upgrade for Expanding Scotland Dairy Saves ££££££s
Keeping operational costs low whilst maximising production capacity are key considerations for clients within the food & beverage sector. One of Scotland’s largest, independent dairy farms, invited Aqua to propose a new, energy efficient, cooling system that would support their expanding product range.
From the outset, the dairy has a more efficient, robust, and future proofed process. They also achieve an enhanced level of quality control on the end product. The run and standby pump configuration gives reassurance that production can continue, uninterrupted, should a fault ever occur.