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How To Read The Chilled Water Schematic

This document provides information about reading and understanding chilled water schematic drawings. It explains that schematics show the piping connections and components of chilled water systems in buildings. While the exact symbols may vary, schematics generally indicate the location of chillers, pumps, air handling units, valves, and other key components. They also show the flow of water through the system using arrows. Important notes help understand elements like pipe sizing and component identification numbers. The document includes examples of how common system elements like chillers, pumps, and primary/secondary loops are depicted on schematics.

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Faquruddin
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310 views

How To Read The Chilled Water Schematic

This document provides information about reading and understanding chilled water schematic drawings. It explains that schematics show the piping connections and components of chilled water systems in buildings. While the exact symbols may vary, schematics generally indicate the location of chillers, pumps, air handling units, valves, and other key components. They also show the flow of water through the system using arrows. Important notes help understand elements like pipe sizing and component identification numbers. The document includes examples of how common system elements like chillers, pumps, and primary/secondary loops are depicted on schematics.

Uploaded by

Faquruddin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Firstly, every chilled water schematic you look at will be completely different.

The
symbols used are always similar, enough to recognise what they are, but always slightly
different. However, they will all show how the chilled and or condenser water system is
connected and distributed around a building. They will also show the main components
such as valves and pressure sensors etc. They should also show which floor the
component is located.

They usually will not display every Air handling unit and fan coil unit connected to the
system. Sometimes they will show the connection to the main AHU’s other times they will
refer you to a separate drawing to see this detail.

If the building rents


floors out to tenants and the tenants have full control over the fit-out of their area, then
the drawing will likely just show the connection from the riser to the tenant space and
anything after that is up to the tenant’s fit-out contractors. The contractors should
provide the landlord with a copy of their own drawings for their area.

Additionally, remember schematic drawings will not show every bend or the exact route
through the building. They are simply a flat 2D representation of the system.

How to read the chilled water schematic


In the top left and lower right you’ll usually find the drawing number, which is a unique
ID number for that drawing.
Chilled Water Schematic
Drawing Layout
In the bottom right you will find the title of the drawing for example “chilled water
system”. You’ll also find the date of production, revision number, and other information
such as the client, the person and or organisation that produced the drawing and most
importantly on the right hand side you will find the legend which lists all the symbols
used as well as their title.

Chiller, AHU, Risers,


Pump location
I always start by locating the chillers, the pumps, the risers, AHU’s and cooling towers.
This shows you how the system works and where each part is located.

The schematics can be quite cramped and you’ll need to sometimes see through the
information to follow the system.

Important notes about reading a chilled water schematic


note
s on reading a chilled water schematic
The pipes often have letters to help you identify which system it is such as CHW
and CND they will also use F and R for flow and Return.

 You can see the direction of flow in the pipe which is indicated by arrows.
 The diameter of the pipe is sometimes listed next to the line.
 Newer designs might show you the designed flow rate, velocity, pressure and
pipe diameter.
 You’ll also often see letters around valves, this is just to identify what type of
fitting it is. For example, an IV stands for isolating valve.
 The capitalised letters of “NC” will mean the valve is normally closed.
 You’ll also see circles with numbers and letters inside, this is the unique ID for
the fitting, there should be a matching ID tag fixed to the physical fitting. You
can use this number to find the correct fitting and also lookup detail for it in the
log sheet such as size and type.
 Dotted horizontal lines from one side to the other of the drawing mean there is a
floor there.
 The arrow on the pump indicates the direction of flow.

Chilled water schematic examples


Different chiller
representations
We’ll first start with the chiller. I’ll show you some examples of how chillers are illustrated
in schematics as it really varies. The two in the top right and the one in the bottom right
are all air cooled chillers and the rest are water cooled. The components of each system
are similar but as you can see the design does vary and not every chiller install will use
the exact same setup or components.

So we’ll start with the chiller showing the condenser and evaporator, as well as the flow
and return lines coming in and out of this to join the rest of the system.

Chiller flow and return with isolating valves


Then we’ll find the isolating valves which are typically butterfly or gate vales, these will
be used to cut the chiller off from the main system to carry out maintenance. You’ll also
find these valves on all major components such as pumps and AHU’s.
chiller temperature sensor
Then we’ll have some temperature sensors which the chiller is connected to. The chiller
will read this to control its performance.

Chiller orifice plate commissioning station


Then we’ll have a commissioning station to measure the flow rate, this will be used to
balance the system to meet the design flow rates and also analyse the performance. I
made another video previously on how to measure the flow rate of a chiller using this
device, check it out here.

Chiller double regulating valve chilled water


schematic
Next we have a bypass line and in this example there is a double regulating valve
between the flow and return lines but its more common these days to have an isolating
valve here which is normally closed or there isn’t a bypass line at all. These are used to
either flush the system and bypass the chiller to stop dirt going into the heat exchanger
during the system clean or in this case its used to balance the system as its an old
constant volume system so this can be used to simulate the pressure drop of the chiller if
the chiller is isolated for maintenance.

Then because we have a bypass line we’ll have some more isolating valves, this allows
the chiller to be cut off from the system but the bypass line can still be used. In newer
systems you will find a motorised control valve here which is connected to the Building
Management System and allows remote control.

Pete plug test point


Then we’ll have some test points, also known as Petes plugs and these allow technicians
to plug measurement devices in, to take temperature and pressure measurements.

Chiller temperature and pressure gauges


Then we’ll have some temperature gauges to manually take readings. Over time these
generally become less reliable and the gauges often get stuck. Then we’ll have some
pressure gauges to allow manual readings. Again these become less reliable over time
and can become stuck.
flexible connectors
Then we’ll have some flexible connectors, these prevent the vibration of the pumps and
chillers from running along the pipes throughout the building and they also allow the
pipes to expand and contract slightly which takes the pressure off the connection.

We’ll usually find an almost identical setup on the condenser side so I’ll add that in.

Multiple chiller installation


This design is for a large commercial office building so there will be multiple chillers, all
with identical pipe arrangements.

Pump sets
Next we’ll need some pumps to push the water through the chiller and around the
building.
Pump set
For this we’ll usually have two or more pumps in parallel typically running in duty and
standby. Again the triangle points in the direction of flow.

Pump set flexible connectors


Then we’ll need some flexible connectors as the pumps will cause vibrations.

Pump set isolating valves


Then we’ll want some isolating valves so we can cut one or all the pumps off for
maintenance.
Pump set strainer
Then we’ll have some strainers which capture particles and dirt in the water and prevent
them from entering the pump. Some pump setups don’t use this, some will have one
large strainer elsewhere in the system.

Pump set pressure gauges


Then we’ll have some pressure gauges to allow manual readings

Pump set non return valve


Then we’ll have a non-return valve which prevents the pressure in the pipework from
forcing the pump to rotate backwards when its turned off.
Chilled Water pump design schematic
Notice this design doesn’t have another isolating valve past the non-return valve, in
newer systems like this one you will usually find there is one,

Example of a pump set


explained
in the real world the pump set will look something like this for a centrifugal pump set.

We know the pumps need to push water through the chiller, so we can connect the pump
sets to the chillers evaporator inlets.

Chilled water is generated in the evaporator so we’ll need to connect that back around to
the pumps to create a circuit and distribute the chilled water.

Primary and secondary systems


Notice there is a common header between the flow and return lines. This separates the
system into primary and secondary loops and allows a constant flow rate in the primary
side which the chillers prefer as they require a minimum water flow rate, it also allows a
variable flow rate in the secondary side as the cooling load changes.
Chilled water
primary circuit
The chilled water is generated and circulated in the primary side, the secondary loops will
pull chilled water out of the header to cool the building and then dump the warm return
back into the header. If the flow rate In the secondary side is low then some chilled water
will flow into the secondary and some will recirculate back to the chillers. If the flow rate
is high In the secondary loop then all the chilled water will flow into the secondary loop
and the return line will flow straight back to the chillers.

Coming off the common header is another header, this allows the flow to be split and
each will receive equal distribution. On the outlets of the header you might find a
commissioning station or double regulating valve but in newer systems this is likely on
the return line.

From the header outlets we’ll have some more pumps to distribute the chilled water to
different parts of the building, for example the east and west side. Some designs won’t
have separate pumps for different parts of the building, they will simply have one pump
set which forces the chilled water around the entire building.
Secondary circuit pumps
These pumps will distribute the water off to the AHU’s and FCU’s, I explained about when
this detail is/isn’t shown earlier in the article but I’ll just briefly give you some examples
of Air Handling Unit connections and also some Fan coil units.

AHU
schematic
You’ll also find a pressurisation unit on the chilled water side as this is a closed system,
typically this is connected on the return line to the main circulating pumps as this area is
not affected by the pump. This unit just maintains a certain pressure in the system.

Condenser Water
Now for the condenser water side. Remember air cooled chillers do not require a
condenser system. We will need a set of pumps to push the water through the chiller
and around the system so we can drop those in.
Condenser water circuit
Then connect those pumps to the condenser inlets and another line out of the condenser
and up to the cooling towers, located on the roof.

Cooling Towers
The cooling towers are connected to the riser via a header. These connections will need
isolating valves and flexible connectors. Not all towers will use two inlets, some will have
just one.

Cooling tower connection


At the outlet of the cooling tower we also need another isolating valve and another
flexible connector. Then we can connect this back to the pumps to complete the circuit.

Cooling tower outlet


As this is a large building with multiple chillers we’ll need multiple cooling towers and in
this design we’ll pipe them in parallel.
Multiple cooling tower
balancing line
Because they are in parallel with a common supply and return we’ll typically find a
balancing line to ensure equal water levels in the basins and prevent air from being
sucked into the pipework and pumps.

Cooling tower bypass line


There might also be a bypass line with a motorised valve across the cooling towers flow
and return. This can have various functions such as maintaining minimum flow rate and
also protecting the chiller from tripping on low and high pressure due to the temperature
of the return condenser water being out of design limits, for example during start-up of a
cold winter morning.

Cooling tower
schematic
Another common version of the cooling tower you might come across will look something
like this. It has the flow and return lines for the condenser water. There is also a
balancing line between other cooling towers, they have a make-up line which tops up the
water in the water if it gets too low and there will also be an overflow and drain line.
Some have a flushing line between the flow and return lines for system cleaning. If you
want to know how cooling towers work we’ve covered this in a previous video, click
here to see.

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