The following article was published in ASHRAE Journal, July 2007.

©Copyright 2007 American Society

of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. It is presented for educational purposes
only. This article may not be copied and/or distributed electronically or in paper form without permission
of ASHRAE.

Photo Credit: NASA

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has been involved in projects such as producing this laboratory module for the International Space Station.

Chilled Water Plant

Savings at No Cost
By Michael A. Reed, Member ASHRAE; and Cedreck Davis

N
ASA at its Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., contracted an energy consulting
company to evaluate the operation of the central chilled water plant (CCWP) built in 1999 to
ascertain if any improvements could be made to reduce operating cost with no expenditure of capital
funds. Only no-cost changes were considered. This was a decision made by the owner to ensure
existing systems were operating at peak performance before extensive capital expenditure projects
were evaluated. The consultant’s study showed that the chilled water system was not producing the
ΔT that matched the chillers’ design during off-peak conditions. This condition is often called low ΔT
syndrome and has been written about in many articles.1,2,3,4
36 ASHRAE Journal ashrae.org July 2007

#9 #5 #4
#8 #7 #6
Figure 1: Central chilled water plant (CCWP) schematic.
The impact of this condition causes the secondary flow to be
larger than the primary at times, and warm water from the return
was mixing with cold water from the chillers as it was leaving
the plant. When this happens, another chiller was started even
before the operating machines were fully loaded. This article
describes the results at the CCWP of changing the logic to
control the mixed temperature in the chilled water secondary
with the chiller discharge temperature, rather than starting an-
other chiller to deal with low ΔT syndrome. The logic change
allows the operating chillers to be fully loaded before starting
the next machine. Implementation of the recommendation was
accomplished in November 2005.
The CCWP was constructed in 1999 to consolidate 32 re-
mote chilled water plants with a combined capacity of 17,000
tons (59 789 kW) into one 10,000 ton (55 170 kW) plant.5 The
facility has been in operation for approximately seven years.
This article describes a specific portion of the operation of the
plant that relates to the sequencing of the chillers and pumps
for optimum performance.
This site is the propulsion research and support center for
NASA’s space missions, and consists of more than 216 build-
ings and is spread over 1,800 acres (728 ha). A CCWP with an
operational peak connected capacity of 10,000 tons (35 170
kW) was designed with eight nominal 1,250 ton (4396 kW)
chillers and a ninth chiller as backup. During the first summer
season, which was in 2000,5 the peak load was approximately
7,200 tons (25 322 kW).
Existing System
A study was made before the CCWP was built, which pre-
dicted that the plant’s secondary ΔT would be approximately
12°F (6.7°C) at peak-load conditions. The designed hydraulic
system was a primary/secondary type with a secondary flow
capacity equivalent to a 10°F (5.6°C) system at 10,000 tons (35
170 kW) and individual chiller primary pumps with an 11°F
(6.1°C) ΔT at the nominal 1,250 ton (4396 kW) capacity.5 Since
the CCWP’s construction, all coil designs have been at a 13°F
July 2007
Secondary Loops A – E
#6
#3 #2 #1
#5
#4
Primary Pumps Typ.(9) Decoupler
75 hp (56 kW) at 2,750 gpm
(168.6 L/s) #3
1,250 tons (4396 kW)
Secondary Pumps Typ. 6
#2
Chillers Typ. for 9
VFDs 250 hp (186.5 kW) at
4,800 gpm (294.2 L/s)
#1
(7.2°C) ΔT for peak conditions. The buildings now connected to
the CCWP range in year of construction from 1964 to 2005.
The CCWP has a reasonably simple and orderly layout as
indicated by Figure 1.
Existing System Operation
At the beginning of the investigation, the consultant requested
historical trend data from the site. A full year’s worth of hourly
data from May 1, 2003 to April 30, 2004 was received from the
Utility Controls System (UCS) group for several requested key
points at the CCWP. This amount of available data is exceptional
and is directly responsible for the ability to implement the logic
change described later. Additionally, the data was exceptionally
clean; a total of 8,725 hours were usable out of a leap year of
8,784 total hours.
Examination of the load profile of outdoor air temperature
(OA) vs. load (tons) in this trend data indicates that the site
load has increased from the peak of 7,200 tons (25 322 kW) in
2000 to a value closer to 8,500 tons (29 895 kW) in 2003–04.
Additionally, a Loop B was added to the plant since this
2003–04 data. The owner continues to connect new buildings
to the CCWP.
As the efficiency of the CCWP was being evaluated, a need
existed to determine if the site was experiencing low ΔT syn-
drome. The answer to this requirement is contained in the trend
data received from the UCS system. A scatter plot was created
of OA vs. secondary ΔT using the trend data received from
the UCS. Figure 2 shows that the site does suffer from low ΔT
syndrome during off-peak conditions.
The red line on the scatter plot is a graphical average overlaid
on the chart and shows that at peak operation the ΔT is reach-
ing the value of the design for the chillers at 11°F (6.1°C) ΔT.
About the Authors
Michael A. Reed is an associate at Sain Engineering Associates in Birmingham,
Ala. Cedreck Davis is the energy program manager for NASA Marshall Space
Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
ASHRAE Journal 37
However, the amount of time 12
the system operates at peak is 11
extremely small compared to 10
the hours per year it operates 9

Secondary ΔT
not at peak. As the OA and load 8
7
decreases, the secondary ΔT 6
reduces to approximately 7°F 5
(3.9°C) at its minimum. This 4
is a graphical representation of 3

the low ΔT syndrome that exists 2

10 20 30 40 50 60 70
at this site.
OA Temperature °F
How does the presence of low
ΔT syndrome impact the opera- Figure 2: OA vs. secondary ΔT; hourly 6/23/03 to 4/30/04.
tion of the CCWP? Figure 3 is a
simplified schematic of the site’s chilled water system showing in the formulas at the bottom of Figure 3. When the flow in
the hydraulics of what is happening around the system with a the secondary exceeds 2,750 gpm (168.6 L/s) the water in the
7°F (3.9°C) example secondary ΔT. Example loads and flows decoupler will flow as shown in Figure 3, which is reversed
based on the site’s plant system size will be used in this section from what is occurring for loads below 802 tons (2821 kW).
to help explain the impact of low ΔT on the primary/secondary At a full 1,250 tons (4396 kW) and a 7°F (3.9°C) ΔT second-
system at the CCWP. This is not what is actually happening at all ary, the flow is 4,286 gpm (262.7 L/s). Of the total 4,286 gpm
times, and this example is only used to simplify the hydraulics (262.7 L/s) of secondary flow returning from the site, 1,536
within the system for describing this project. gpm (94.2 L/s) is passing through the decoupler and mixing at
For the example schematic, as the flow in the secondary the system supply-side intersection of the decoupler as shown
increases and if no action is taken to start another chiller, the in Figure 3 with 2,750 gpm (168.6 L/s) of 44°F (6.7°C) chilled
mixing of water flows will change from the system return-side water leaving the chiller.
intersection of the decoupler to the supply-side intersection. A common description of this situation from operators is that
This is not what really happens at the CCWP, but it is what the “chiller can’t handle the load.” The chiller is set for 44°F
would happen if another chiller were not started. (6.7°C), but the chilled water leaving the plant is 48°F (8.9°C)
Figure 3 shows the hydraulics around the example schematic as seen in Figure 3.
system at the nominal full load of 1,250 tons (4396 kW) for a The on-board chiller control panel is responsible for maintain-
single chiller (shown in green text). ing the temperature leaving the machine and is not aware of the
The secondary ΔT is still 7°F (3.9°C), but the ΔT that the temperature in the secondary. This example schematic shows
chiller needs to see to reach full load is 11°F (6.1°C) as seen that the secondary temperature would be 48°F (8.9°C) if another

With 7°F (3.9 °C) Low ΔT Syndrome

44°F
(6.7°C)

Mixing 48°F
(8.9°C) Secondary Pumps
44°F
(6.7°C)

Decoupler Loop
0 gpm
Building Load
1,536 gpm
1,250 ton (4396 kW) Chiller 2,750 gpm (94.2 L/s)
(168.6 L/s)

Primary Pump
51°F (10.6°C) 51°F (10.6°C) 2,750 gpm (168.6 L/s)

55°F (12.8°C) 55°F (12.8°C) 4,286 gpm (262.7 L/s)

Tons=gpm (ΔT) /24

Tons Loop= 2,750 gpm × 7°F / 24 = 802 tons Tons Loop= 4,286 gpm × 7°F / 24 = 1,250 tons
Chiller Tons = 2,750 gpm × 7°F / 24 = 802 tons Chiller Tons = 2,750 gpm × 11°F / 24 = 1,250 tons

Figure 3: Primary loop temperature control example.

38 ASHRAE Journal ashrae.org July 2007

chiller was not started, and the
Peak OA
existing machine(s) were loaded Start 7th chiller 89°F (31.7°C)
to 100%. However, this would not 8 >86°F (30°C)
be acceptable because the desired
7 Start 5th chiller
temperature is 44°F (6.7°C) in the >68°F (20°C)

Number of Chillers On
secondary loop. To deal with this 6

situation, the UCS control logic 55 Start 4th chiller

rd
>53°F (11.7°C)
calls for the next chiller to start Start 3 chiller
44
>28°F (–2.2°C)
when the secondary flow is greater Start 3rd chiller
3 >47°F (8.3°C)
than the primary. If the primary
2 Start 6th chiller
loop is always moving more water >80°F (26.7°C)
flow than the secondary, then the 1

temperature of the water leaving 0

the chiller will be what is delivered 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
to the site in the secondary. Thus, OA Temperature °F
starting the next chiller is how the
Figure 4: Before change: OA vs. number of chillers running: 5/1/03 to 5/31/03 and 12/1/03 to 4/30/04.
CCWP deals with the effect of low
ΔT syndrome at this primary/sec-
ondary chiller plant. Using the example schematic for a 7°F (3.9°C) December through May from the pre-project trend data was used
ΔT secondary, the next chiller would be started when the running in Figure 4 to match with the same months of data available in
machine is at 802 tons (2821 kW) or 64% loaded. the after logic code changes.
Using six months of the hourly trend data provided from the Trend data for the pre-project operation showed that there
UCS, Figure 4 shows a scatter plot of the number of chillers were many hours in which the minimum site load was below
running plotted as compared against the OA temperature. Only 1,000 tons (3517 kW) even down to approximately 500 tons

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July 2007 ASHRAE Journal 39

 With 7°F (3.9 °C) Low ΔT Syndrome

44°F
Mixing (6.7°C)
T

Chiller Discharge
44°F Secondary Pumps
Temperature Reset
(6.7°C)

40°F
(4.4°C)

Building Load

Decoupler Loop
0 gpm
1,250 ton (4396 kW) Chiller
1,536 gpm
2,750 gpm (94.2 L/s)
(168.6 L/s)
Primary Pump
2,750 gpm (168.6 L/s)

51°F (10.6°C) 51°F (10.6°C) 4,286 gpm (262.7 L/s)

New Start Sequence: If CHWS Sec. >1°F (0.6°C) above reset setpoint for five minutes, then start next chiller.

Figure 5: Secondary loop temperature control example.

(1759 kW). Yet Figure 4 shows that on all but two one-hour
events, there was always a minimum of two chillers running.
As previously noted, the next chiller for this site was started
when the secondary flow exceeded the primary.
UCS Code Logic Change
Is there a controls logic change that could be implemented at
the CCWP that would enable the chillers to control the secondary
temperature setpoint and load to 100% despite the impact of low
ΔT syndrome? The CCWP’s product is chilled water that is distrib-
uted to users around the site, which specifically is the secondary
chilled water system. Logically speaking, shouldn’t the secondary
temperature be directly monitored
and controlled to the desired
setpoint? This, in simple terms,
is exactly what the new logic
code does. The new logic for the
8
CCWP is to directly maintain and
control the secondary setpoint 7 >72°F (22.2°C)
Number of Chillers On
decoupler, for loads above 802 tons (2821 kW) as seen by the
arrows in Figure 5, the temperature in the secondary supply
starts to increase. With the new code in control on the actual
system, the existing temperature sensors on the secondary loops
detect this increase and the UCS system modulates the chiller
discharge temperature setpoint to maintain the desired mixed
water temperature in the secondary. As the load increases, and
more mixing occurs at the supply side of the decoupler, the
chiller(s) discharge temperature is lowered through a typical
control loop from the UCS to maintain the secondary sup-
ply setpoint. This means that during some part of the day the
chiller discharge temperature could be lower than the secondary
12/1/05 - 5/31/06 Peak OA
Start 6th chiller 96°F (35.6°C)
(No 7th chiller)
>85°F (29.4°C)
Start 5th chiller

using the UCS system. This is 6

Start 4th chiller
done by modulating the chiller(s) 5 >62°F (16.7°C)
discharge temperature to maintain
4 Start 3rd chiller
the mixed water temperature in
3 >47°F (8.3°C)
the secondary system to the de-
sired setpoint. 2
Figure 5 illustrates this logic 1 120 hrs of only
change and shows what is hap- one chiller on
0
pening hydraulically around the 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
system as well as the tempera- OA Temperature °F
tures at key areas.
As the water reverses in the Figure 6: After change: OA vs. number of chillers running; 12/1/05 to 05/31/06.

40 ASHRAE Journal ashrae.org July 2007

controlled setpoint. When the true maximum capacity (100%)
for the chiller is reached, it can do no more work. At this point
the chilled water will begin to rise above the desired setpoint.
When the secondary actual temperature is 1°F (0.6°C) above
the secondary setpoint for five minutes, the UCS system will
start the next chiller.
How did this new control logic alter the operation of the
CCWP? From the data collected around the time of the imple-
mentation of this logic change, it was apparent the change
was activated between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Nov. 28, 2005.
Trend data for after the logic change was made is data from
Dec. 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006. Figure 6 is formatted the same
as Figure 4 but is based on the data collected after the logic
change was made.
Figure 4 shows that there were only two hours in which one
chiller was operational. After the change in logic was made,
there were 120 occasions in which one chiller maintained the
site load. Prior to the logic control change, the third chiller
was needed at an OA temperature above approximately 28°F
(–2.2°C). After the logic control change, the third chiller was
not needed until the OA was above approximately 47°F (8.3°C).
Because of the nature of this site’s mission, the chilled water
system is used for more than administrative building support.
Research areas and technical equipment cooling uses are some
examples of requirements for chillers to operate all year.
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July 2007
At each step of another chiller start, the new code enables the
next chiller to be started at a higher OA reference temperature
than the previous code. The seventh chiller was never started
with the new logic code even with an OA as high as 96°F
(35.6°C) and the addition of the new Loop B. Before the change
was made, the seventh chiller was needed for temperatures
above 89°F (31.7°C).
It could be argued that each chart is against a different site
load and different weather conditions and can’t be technically
compared this simply, which is partially true.
Another way to examine this change would be to try to elimi-
nate the actual load and weather as a factor in the evaluation.
The percent load of the operating chiller(s) in the immediate
hour before the next chiller was started was evaluated from
the trend data to normalize this situation. Previous to this code
change, the average percent loaded of the operating chiller(s)
in the hour before the next started for January and February
was 57.7%. After the code change, this average percent loaded
of the operating chiller(s) increased to 86.4%. Since the data
was only logged hourly at an instantaneous value, in reality, the
chiller could have been started 59 minutes or just one minute
before the data was logged. The same random starting of chillers
existed in relation to the clock hour for both cases so the differ-
ence between the 57.7% and 86.4% is a true improvement in
the starting sequence for the chillers at this CCWP. Evaluating
ASHRAE Journal 41
 Number of Chilled Water Supply
Outside Air Temperature Decoupler Flow
Chillers On Temperature
Before (5/16/03) After (5/23/06) Before After Before After Before After
Time °F °C °F °C °F °C °F °C gpm L/s gpm L/s
0:00 67.5 19.72 69.2 20.67 3 2 40.6 4.79 43.2 6.21 5,627 344.9 –2,507 –153.7
1:00 66.4 19.13 67.8 19.88 3 3 40.5 4.74 42.2 5.64 5,395 330.7 –3,100 –190.0
2:00 65.9 18.85 66.6 19.24 3 3 40.6 4.79 42.9 6.06 5,081 311.5 –3,547 –217.4
3:00 65.4 18.54 65.1 18.38 3 3 40.6 4.79 43.2 6.21 4,377 268.3 –3,794 –232.6
4:00 65.0 18.32 63.5 17.51 3 3 40.6 4.79 42.9 6.06 4,155 254.7 –3,793 –232.5
5:00 64.8 18.24 62.4 16.90 3 3 40.9 4.93 43.1 6.16 3,384 207.4 –4,483 –274.8
6:00 64.7 18.18 62.7 17.04 3 3 40.9 4.93 41.9 5.50 2,628 161.1 –5,451 –334.1
7:00 66.8 19.33 66.9 19.41 3 3 41.8 5.45 45.2 7.34 2,265 138.8 –4,315 –264.5
8:00 72.1 22.26 71.5 21.95 4 4 41.1 5.07 42.3 5.73 5,055 309.9 –4,018 –246.3
9:00 74.3 23.51 77.9 25.52 4 4 41.1 5.07 42.3 5.73 4,767 292.2 –3,777 –231.5
10:00 78.5 25.83 82.1 27.84 4 5 42.4 5.78 44.2 6.77 3,669 224.9 316 19.4
11:00 81.1 27.28 82.1 27.84 4 5 43.9 6.63 42.3 5.73 0 0.0 345 21.1
12:00 84.4 29.09 81.6 27.53 5 5 43.3 6.25 42.2 5.64 3,628 222.4 –102 –6.3
13:00 84.5 29.15 83.0 28.34 6 5 41.6 5.31 42.2 5.64 6,287 385.4 –434 –26.6
14:00 74.8 23.79 84.5 29.18 6 5 40.3 4.60 42.1 5.59 7,145 438.0 –1,423 –87.2
15:00 71.4 21.87 85.3 29.60 6 6 40.5 4.70 40.9 4.93 8,553 524.3 –1,158 –71.0
16:00 69.6 20.92 86.0 29.99 6 4 40.5 4.74 41.5 5.26 9,378 574.9 –6,161 –377.6
17:00 68.2 20.13 84.8 29.34 6 4 40.4 4.65 42.7 5.97 10,483 642.6 –6,425 –393.9
18:00 69.4 20.80 84.4 29.09 5 4 40.8 4.89 40.7 4.84 10,524 645.1 –1,274 –78.1
19:00 71.6 22.00 82.9 28.26 5 3 40.8 4.89 40.5 4.70 11,264 690.5 –1,326 –81.3
20:00 68.6 20.36 75.8 24.32 5 3 40.8 4.89 41.5 5.26 11,209 687.1 –241 –14.8
21:00 68.2 20.11 73.1 22.81 4 2 40.5 4.74 40.7 4.84 8,898 545.4 –2,683 –164.5
22:00 67.7 19.86 71.6 21.98 4 2 40.5 4.74 40.7 4.84 8,898 545.5 –2,180 –133.7
23:00 67.9 19.97 69.2 20.69 4 2 40.5 4.74 40.5 4.70 8,910 546.2 –2,168 –132.9

Table 1: A 24-hour side-by-side comparison.

the change in operation in this way removes the impact of the
weather and load.
Several methods were used to verify this improvement in
efficiency of the new logic code. One method that proved to
be interesting was a side-by-side 24-hour-by-hour comparison.
A 24-hour day from the previous operational trend data (May
16, 2003) and one from after the change (May 23, 2006) were
selected that was as close as possible to the same in OA dry-
bulb temperature and is shown in Table 1.
A reset chilled water schedule up to 44°F (6.7°C) was also
implemented during this change that enabled the lowering of the
chiller discharge temperatures. The following can be observed
from this side-by-side comparison in Table 1:
• The day started with one less chiller operating with the
new code;
• The new code did start the fifth chiller sooner in the day
than the previous code, but the OA temperature was 3.6°F
(2°C) higher;
• The sixth chiller was started by the new code two hours
later than the previous code;
• The previous code operated the sixth chiller for six hours
during the day versus only one hour for the new code;
• The new code dropped back to only two chillers running
versus four at the end of the day for the previous code;
and
• In the previous code, the flow in the primary was con-
trolled to always be more than the secondary and was
always “positive” in the decoupler. The flow in the
decoupler was “negative (or opposite)” in the after logic
change, representing a greater flow in the secondary
than the primary for most hours of the day.
This side-by-side comparison shows that fewer chillers were
operated between the data before the code change (2003–04) and
the data after (2006). As previously stated, the site added a Loop B
to the CCWP in the summer of 2005, which means that even with
an increased load, the new code operated with fewer chillers.
Energy Savings
Where are the savings coming from for this new logic change?
The majority of savings is coming from the equipment that is

42 ASHRAE Journal ashrae.org July 2007

not started with the next chiller. Starting a chiller at the CCWP
requires a 75 hp (56 kW) primary pump and 100 hp (74.6 kW)
condenser pump to be started.
What about the fact that for the new code the chiller will at
times have to run at a lower setpoint than the secondary tem-
perature, requiring more energy? Using the example figures,
which are not the real system but represent generally what is
happening for this CCWP, the following simplified, single-point,
winter season evaluation is presented:
In the example figures used in this article, the load at 802
tons (2821 kW) and 2,750 gpm (168.6 L/s) was the balance
point with zero fl ow going through the decoupler. With
the previous code at flows above 2,750 gpm (168.6 L/s)
in the secondary, another chiller would be started with its
corresponding primary and condenser water pumps. In the
example, Figure 5, to accomplish the mixing temperature of
44°F (6.7°C) in the secondary at a load of 1,250 tons (4396
kW) requires that the chiller run at 40°F (4.4°C). Manufac-
turers’ data for the nine identical chillers was used to esti-
mate the potential increase at the chiller to operate at 40°F
(4.4°C) vs. 44°F (6.7°C). This increase is approximately 23
kW as seen below in the simple example calculation (assume
70°F [21.1°C] site condenser water supply (CWS) setpoint
achievable in winter):
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1,250 tons × 0.548 kW/ton (at 40°F and 70°F CWS) = 685.0 kW
1,250 tons × 0.530 kW/ton (at 44°F and 70°F CWS) = 662.5 kW
Δ = 22.5 kW
With the old logic code, at 802 tons (2821 kW), another
chiller and its corresponding pumps would be started for a total
additional kW larger than the increased kW to run the chiller
at a lower chilled water setpoint.
(Measured 56.7 kW primary pump + Measured 65.8 kW con-
denser pump) = 122.5 kW total
Under the old logic code when the decoupler reverses direc-
tion at 802 tons (2821 kW) another chiller was started and an
additional 122.5 kW was required immediately. Therefore, the
Δ in kW between the old and new code varies between 122.5
kW at 802 tons (2821 kW) and 100 kW (122.5 kW–22.5 kW) at
1,250 tons (4396 kW) for each chiller running with the new code
always requiring less kW when low ΔT syndrome is occurring.
As noted in Figure 2, the low ΔT syndrome effect varies as the
OA temperature changes. Additionally, as previously noted, the
average percent load of the chillers is higher in the after code
operation (86.4%) versus the pre-code change operation (57.7%),
which results in an improvement in chiller performance. Due to
the many variations in load, weather, chiller starts, etc., throughout
ASHRAE Journal 43
the year, only looking at the total annual consumption before and
after this code change reveals the total savings.
Four electrical meters log the kWh consumption for the
CCWP. Comparing the one year preceding this code change
(Dec. 1, 2004 to Nov. 30, 2005) to one year after (Dec. 1, 2005 to
Nov. 30, 2006), there was a 6.3% annual savings in kWh energy
use. During the summer of 2005, Loop B was connected to the
CCWP and placed into operation, which means that a full year
of operation of the increased site load is not in the pre-change
energy use. Even with this, the annual savings between 2005
(before change) and 2006 (after change) the savings was ap-
proximately $88,850 based on the cost of energy at the facility
when the project was implemented.
The greatest savings for this code change occurs during the
winter when the low ΔT syndrome is at its lowest point. When
examining the kWh consumed, each of the winter months of
December, January and February after the code change to the
same months in the previous year the savings average was 15.7%.
These three months (after code change) averaged lower than the
same months for all the years back to 2002. Only data back to this
time was requested from the UCS group. This included the fact
that the load increased in 2005 with the addition of Loop B.
This control logic change was implemented using on-site
staff. Therefore, no added cost was incurred to reprogram the
UCS system to the new logic code. So, in almost every way
this project is examined, the owner is achieving a significant
amount of savings for a no capital cost project.
Conclusion
Is your facility a multiple chiller primary/secondary hydraulic
designed system that appears to be affected by low ΔT syn-
drome? If the running chillers are not fully loaded and the next
chiller is commanded to start, either manually by an operator, 1. Kirsner, W. 1998. “A check valve in the chiller bypass line? two
or by an automated system, then your facility could possibly be
suffering from the effects of low ΔT syndrome. Other systems,
2. Coad, W.J. 1998. “A fundamental perspective on chilled water systems.
such as fully variable primary-only designs, are not included
in this statement. This article describes the results of this code
change for this specific CCWP that is hydraulically designed
as a primary/secondary system. 3. Avery, G. 2001. “Improving the efficiency of chilled water plants.”
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44 ASHRAE Journal
The new logic code reduced the impact of low ΔT syndrome
at its CCWP and saved energy. Low ΔT syndrome did not
change or go away. Its existence is a result of what is happen-
ing at the use points around the site. This article describes how
this site’s CCWP deals with the impact of low ΔT syndrome
at the plant.
To implement the logic control change as noted in this article,
the following items were necessary:
• Ability to monitor the chilled water secondary temperature
at the UCS;
• Ability to start and stop each chiller (and pumps) from the
UCS;
• Ability to reset the discharge temperature setpoint at the
chiller from the UCS;
• Ability to monitor kW or percent load of each chiller for
when to shut down a chiller; and
• A person knowledgeable enough about chilled water sys-
tems to properly code, implement, and tune the system for
optimum performance.
Several ways exist to deal with the impact of low ΔT syn-
drome at central plants as well as trying to increase the ΔT by
altering conditions at the using source, all of which generally
cost money to implement. This logic code change option was
chosen for this site because it met the criteria of no capital cost
for this owner.
The annual 6.3% improvement in performance as noted
in this article is not huge, but it was worth it for this owner
because of the ability to implement it at no capital cost. The
results as described in this article were previously presented at
a conference6 in 2006.
References
views on this question.” Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning Engi-
neering 70(1):128 – 134.
A fundamental physics of chilled water systems from a perspective of
engineering philosophy.” Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning Engineer-
ing 70(8):59 – 66.
ASHRAE Journal 43(5):14 – 18.
4. Taylor, S.T. 2002. “Primary-only vs. pri-
mary-secondary variable flow systems.”
ASHRAE Journal 44(2):25 – 29.
5. Leonard, P.L. and R. Brunell. 2002.
“Centralized chillers: a case study. de-
sign of new central chiller facility for
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center
presented unique challenges.” Heating/
Piping/Air Conditioning Engineering
74(3).
6. Reed, M. 2006. “Under the Hood: Op-
erations and Maintenance. Heavy Metal:
Worth the Upkeep…or a Boat Anchor to
Efficiency?” Workshop Session, Energy
2006.
ashrae.org July 2007
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