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Against the backdrop of the promotion of the "dual-carbon" policy and the upgrading of refrigeration demand, air source water chillers—characterized by "utilizing air for energy, high-efficiency refrigeration, and zero carbon emissions"—are gradually replacing traditional water-cooled and gas-fired chillers. They have become core refrigeration equipment for commercial buildings, industrial cooling, data centers, and other scenarios. Their good performance in energy efficiency, environmental protection, and adaptability directly affects users’ operating costs and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Using air-source heat pump technology, air source water chillers don’t rely on auxiliary equipment like cooling towers and boilers. Their Coefficient of Performance (COP) is between 3.5 and 5.0. They save 20%-30% more energy than traditional water-cooled chillers (COP 2.8-3.5), and over 40% more energy than gas-fired chillers.
Data from a commercial complex shows:
After adopting air source water chillers, the monthly electricity cost during the summer refrigeration period decreased from 860,000 yuan to 520,000 yuan, saving 4.08 million yuan annually.
An electronics factory replaced its traditional cooling system with air source water chillers, reducing the proportion of refrigeration energy consumption from 35% to 22% of total energy consumption, which directly drove a 18% drop in energy consumption per unit of output value.
Air source water chillers only consume electricity during operation, with no combustion emissions. Their carbon emissions are reduced by more than 95% compared with gas-fired chillers (approximately 80 tons of CO₂ reduced annually per 100kW of cooling capacity). Also, they don’t need water to circulate (traditional water-cooled chillers use 1.2 cubic meters of water every hour). This makes them good for areas where water is scarce.
Data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in 2024 shows:
Green buildings that use air source water chillers make up 42%. That’s a 25-percentage-point increase from 2020.
An industrial park cut its annual carbon emissions by over 5,000 tons by using full-scale air-source refrigeration. This let it meet regional emission reduction targets early.
They can work without a fixed water source, and they’re easy to install flexibly. This makes them suitable for different scenarios:
Commercial buildings (such as shopping malls and hotels): Modular installation eliminates the need for extensive computer room space and reduces installation time by 40% compared to traditional chillers.
Data centers: Low-temperature air source water chillers provide stable cooling even in -10°C environments, reducing power usage effectiveness (PUE) from 1.5 to 1.2.
Industrial sectors (such as food processing and plastic cooling): They provide low-temperature chilled water (7-15°C) to meet process requirements. One food factory reported a 25% increase in cooling efficiency and an 8% reduction in scrap.
Air source water chillers avoid issues like cooling tower scaling and pipeline corrosion, and their failure rate is only 0.8 times per year (while traditional water-cooled chillers have a failure rate of 2.3 times per year). This reduces maintenance costs by 60%.
Some models are equipped with intelligent control systems that enable remote monitoring of cooling capacity and energy consumption, as well as automatic adjustment of operating modes. A logistics park improved the response speed of its refrigeration system by 50% through intelligent operation and maintenance, avoiding the risk of cold chain disruption caused by equipment failures.
| Comparison Dimensions | Air Source Water Chillers | Traditional Water-Cooled Chillers | Gas-Fired Chillers |
|---|---|---|---|
| COP (Coefficient of Performance) | 3.5-5.0 | 2.8-3.5 | 2.2-2.8 |
| Carbon Emissions | Near-zero emissions (electricity only) | Indirect emissions (reliant on thermal power) | High emissions (gas combustion) |
| Installation Cycle | 15-20 days per 100kW | 30-40 days per 100kW | 25-35 days per 100kW |
With the upgrading of low-temperature heat pump technology, the heating and refrigeration capabilities of air source water chillers in severe cold regions (-25℃) have been further enhanced. In 2024, sales of low-temperature models grew by 65% year-on-year. As a core piece of equipment for low-carbon refrigeration, air source water chillers are not only a choice for users to control costs and avoid environmental risks but also a key force in promoting the green transformation of the refrigeration industry. They will unlock more value in more niche scenarios in the future.
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