Water chiller

{{Short description|Device used to lower water temperature}} A '''water chiller'''<ref>George F Van Patten. Hydroponic Basics.</ref> is a device used to lower the temperature of water. Most chillers use refrigerant in a closed loop system to facilitate heat exchange from water where the refrigerant is then pumped to a location where the waste heat is transferred to the atmosphere. However, there are other methods in performing this action.

In hydroponics, pumps, lights and ambient heat can warm the reservoir water temperatures, leading to plant root and health problems. For ideal plant health, a chiller can be used to lower the water temperature below ambient level; {{convert|68|°F}} is a good temperature for most plants. This results in healthy root production and efficient absorption of nutrients.

In air conditioning, chilled water is often used to cool a building's air and equipment, especially in situations where many individual rooms must be controlled separately, such as a hotel. A chiller lowers water temperature to between {{convert|40|°F}} and {{convert|45|°F}} before the water is pumped to the location to be cooled.<ref name=HOW> [http://home.howstuffworks.com/ac4.htm How Stuff Works: How Air Conditioners Work-Chilled-water and Cooling-tower AC Units]</ref>

==See also== *Chiller *Gardening

==Notes== {{reflist}}

Category:Hydroponics Category:Cooling technology Category:Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning Category:Mechanical engineering