Service Overview
- Installation Type: Water-cooled packaged chillers
- Service Area: Nairobi and surrounding areas
- Installation Duration: 2-4 days depending on capacity and complexity
- Typical Cost Range: KES 100,000 – 400,000 (labor only, varies significantly by size)
- Best For: Large office buildings, hospitals, hotels, industrial processes
- Cooling Capacity: Units typically range from 50 to 2,000+ refrigeration tons
- Cooling Capacity: Units typically range from 50 to 2,000+ refrigeration tons
- Warranty: Most installations include 1-2 year workmanship guarantee
Water-cooled chillers represent the most efficient cooling solution for large-scale applications in Nairobi’s commercial and institutional sectors. These systems use cooling tower water to reject heat from the refrigeration cycle, achieving superior energy efficiency compared to air-cooled alternatives. Their installation requires coordination of multiple systems including chillers, cooling towers, pumps, and complex piping networks.
Pre-Installation Assessment
The installation process begins with comprehensive system design and engineering. Mechanical engineers calculate precise cooling loads for the entire facility, accounting for peak demand periods, simultaneous usage factors, and future expansion needs. They design the complete chilled water system including chiller capacity, cooling tower sizing, pump selections, and piping layouts.
Structural assessment focuses on both the chiller location, typically indoor mechanical rooms, and cooling tower placement, usually rooftops or ground-level areas. Water-cooled chillers are heavy equipment, with large units weighing 5,000 to 20,000 kilograms or more. Engineers verify floor loading capacity, ceiling heights for maintenance clearance, and accessibility for equipment delivery and future service.
The team evaluates water availability and quality. Water-cooled systems require continuous makeup water to replace evaporation losses and blowdown from cooling towers. In Nairobi’s context, they assess municipal water supply reliability and may recommend water storage tanks. Water quality testing determines treatment requirements to prevent scaling, corrosion, and biological growth in the cooling water system.
Electrical infrastructure assessment is critical, as large water-cooled chillers draw substantial power for compressors. Three-phase power systems, often at 400V or higher voltages, must have adequate capacity. Engineers coordinate with facility electrical systems, planning for motor control centers, variable frequency drives, and backup generator integration if required for critical facilities.
Preparation and System Infrastructure
Preparation involves extensive infrastructure development beyond just the chiller. Concrete equipment pads or structural supports are constructed for the chiller, ensuring adequate vibration isolation and seismic restraint. Cooling towers require separate foundations, rooftop support structures, or ground-level concrete basins with proper drainage.
The cooling water piping system is prefabricated or assembled, including large diameter pipes connecting chillers to cooling towers. This typically involves 6 to 24-inch diameter piping depending on system size, with proper support systems, expansion compensation, and insulation. Technicians install condenser water pumps, usually in dedicated pump rooms, with isolation valves, strainers, and flow meters.
Chilled water distribution piping is prepared, connecting the chiller’s evaporator to building air handling units, fan coil units, and other cooling equipment. Primary and secondary pumping configurations are installed for larger systems, providing energy-efficient water distribution. All piping includes proper hangers, supports, and seismic bracing according to building codes.
Chemical feed systems for water treatment are installed, including chemical tanks, metering pumps, and injection points in both chilled water and cooling water circuits. Automatic blowdown systems are installed on cooling towers to maintain proper water chemistry by periodically draining concentrated water and replacing it with fresh makeup water.
Core Installation Process
Installation begins with positioning the water-cooled chiller in the mechanical room using specialized rigging equipment. Large chillers often arrive in sections requiring field assembly, with evaporator and condenser barrels installed separately then connected. Technicians ensure precise leveling and secure anchoring to foundations with vibration isolation incorporated.
Condenser water piping connections are made to the chiller’s condenser heat exchanger. These large diameter connections require precision alignment and may use flanged, grooved, or welded joints depending on size and specifications. Technicians install isolation valves, temperature and pressure instruments, and flow measurement devices.
Chilled water piping connections are similarly made to the evaporator section, with careful attention to proper flow direction and connection tightness. Flexible pipe connectors adjacent to the chiller accommodate thermal expansion and reduce vibration transmission to building piping systems.
Refrigerant circuits in water-cooled chillers are typically factory-assembled and charged, though field verification and adjustment may be necessary. Technicians check refrigerant levels, perform leak tests, and verify oil levels in compressor sumps. For larger chillers with multiple refrigerant circuits, each circuit is individually commissioned.
Electrical installation connects high-voltage power to motor control centers serving the chiller’s compressors and associated pumps. Control wiring links the chiller controller to cooling tower fans, condenser water pumps, and building automation systems. Modern water-cooled chillers feature sophisticated controls managing multiple compressors, optimizing efficiency across varying load conditions.
The cooling tower system is installed on prepared locations, typically rooftops in Nairobi’s commercial buildings. Technicians assemble tower components, install fill media, connect fan motors, and verify proper water distribution. Piping connects towers to the chiller’s condenser water circuit through makeup water systems, blowdown provisions, and bypass piping for capacity control.
Testing and Commissioning
After installation, extensive commissioning ensures all components function as an integrated system. The cooling water system is filled, flushed to remove construction debris, and treated with appropriate chemicals. Technicians verify proper water flow through chillers, cooling towers, and all piping circuits.
The chilled water system is similarly filled, vented of air pockets, and circulated through building distribution piping. Chemical treatment establishes proper corrosion inhibition and biological control. Flow balancing ensures each air handler or cooling coil receives design water flow rates.
Chiller startup follows manufacturer protocols with careful monitoring of all parameters. Technicians observe compressor operation, refrigerant pressures and temperatures, oil systems, and approach temperatures between chilled and cooling water. They verify capacity output matches design specifications and energy efficiency meets expectations.
System integration testing verifies proper coordination between chillers, pumps, cooling towers, and building controls. Technicians test staging sequences for multiple chillers, verify lead-lag pump operation, and confirm cooling tower fan cycling maintains proper condenser water temperatures. Building automation system integration is tested, ensuring remote monitoring, alarm notification, and optimization strategies function properly.
The installation team provides comprehensive training to facility engineers covering system operation, water treatment monitoring, routine maintenance procedures, and troubleshooting methodologies. They supply detailed documentation including mechanical and electrical drawings, control sequences, equipment specifications, maintenance schedules, and warranty information. Professional water-cooled chiller installation provides Nairobi’s largest facilities with reliable, energy-efficient cooling infrastructure supporting mission-critical operations and occupant comfort.
