Energy Savings with Chemical-Free Water Treatment
Scale and biofilm act as insulation on chiller condenser and heat-exchanger tubes. Even a thin layer forces compressors to work harder and raises the approach temperature. Elgressy EST, a chemical-free water treatment system, removes scale instead of only holding it back, so the tubes stay clean and the chillers use less electricity.
Measured result: United Nations building, Bangkok
One year after installing Elgressy EST, the chiller plant (900 TR, design approach temperature 2.2 °C) ran with an approach temperature of 1.1 to 1.6 °C. Based on a 3% to 5% energy saving, that is 53,460 to 89,100 kWh and 267,300 to 445,500 Baht saved per year at 5 Baht/kWh. For a plant running 24 hours a day, the same improvement would save between 780,516 and 1,300,860 Baht a year.
- Energy saving cost after 1 year of installed system
- Approach temperature, 1 year after installation
- How to prevent a rising chiller approach temperature
Also for heat exchangers and boilers
The same principle applies to gas-fired heat exchangers and boilers: scale-free surfaces keep fuel use low. In a theoretical analysis for a 3,000 TR pilot in Mexico, a chiller energy reduction of about 6% was estimated. This is a best-case estimate, not a metered result.
Worked example: 720-ton chiller running 24/7
What is a few percent of chiller energy worth in money? Take a 720-ton chiller with a 1,000 TR cooling tower, running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at an average 70% load, with electricity at 4.2 Baht/kWh.
| Chiller type | Efficiency (kW/ton) | Energy per year (kWh) | Electricity cost per year (Baht) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water-cooled (high efficiency) | 0.62 | 2,737,325 | 11,496,764 |
| Air-cooled (typical) | 0.75 | 3,311,280 | 13,907,376 |
A water-cooled plant already costs about 2.4 million Baht a year less to run than an air-cooled one, but only as long as its condenser tubes stay clean.
What an energy saving with Elgressy EST is worth
| Energy saving | Energy saved (kWh/year) | Cost saved (Baht/year) |
|---|---|---|
| 3% | 82,120 | 344,903 |
| 5% | 136,866 | 574,838 |
| 7% | 191,613 | 804,773 |
The cost of a rising approach temperature
Scale on the condenser tubes pushes the approach temperature up. Assuming chiller energy rises by 1% to 2% for every +1 °C, starting from an approach of 4.0 °C:
| Temperature increase | New approach | Extra cost per year (Baht) |
|---|---|---|
| +0.1 °C | 4.1 °C | 11,497 – 22,994 |
| +0.2 °C | 4.2 °C | 22,994 – 45,987 |
| +0.3 °C | 4.3 °C | 34,490 – 68,981 |
| +0.4 °C | 4.4 °C | 45,987 – 91,974 |
| +0.5 °C | 4.5 °C | 57,484 – 114,968 |
| +0.6 °C | 4.6 °C | 68,981 – 137,961 |
| +0.7 °C | 4.7 °C | 80,477 – 160,955 |
| +0.8 °C | 4.8 °C | 91,974 – 183,948 |
| +0.9 °C | 4.9 °C | 103,471 – 206,942 |
Every +0.1 °C adds about 11,500 to 23,000 Baht a year. At +0.9 °C the extra cost reaches 103,000 to 207,000 Baht, every year, so water treatment that keeps the tubes clean pays for itself quickly.
Assumptions: 720-ton water-cooled chiller at 0.62 kW/ton (air-cooled comparison at 0.75 kW/ton), 24 hours × 365 days, 70% average load, 4.2 Baht/kWh. These figures are an illustration. Actual savings depend on your plant and should be checked against the chiller manufacturer’s performance curves.
Calculate your own savings
Every site is different. We build the calculation with your own bills, maintenance records and operating hours, using conservative assumptions.
Water Treatment Asia is a subsidiary of Aerial Lift Asia Co., Ltd., the official and exclusive distributor of Elgressy for South-East Asia.
Watertreatmentasia is a subsidiary of Aerial Lift Asia Co.,Ltd.
Aerial Lift Asia is official and exclusive distributor of ELGRESSY for S.E. Asia.
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