Glycol Chillers for Industrial and Commercial Cooling Applications
Pure Thermal supplies glycol chiller systems intended for sites that require stable cooling for manufacturing, HVAC, and process applications. These systems deliver accurate temperature control across a wide range of commercial and industrial environments where standard water systems do not offer adequate frost protection or reliable low-temperature operation.
A glycol chiller uses a controlled mixture of water and glycol to circulate cooling capacity through a system. The addition of glycol lowers the freezing point of the circulating fluid, allowing the system to operate at lower temperatures without the risk of ice formation within pipework or heat exchangers.
This approach works effectively in applications where cooling demand is continuous year-round. Manufacturing processes, food production sites, and large commercial facilities often rely on glycol chillers to keep equipment or products within a defined temperature range.
How Glycol Chillers Work
Glycol chillers follow the same core refrigeration cycle used in other chilled water systems. The unit absorbs heat from a process or space and transfers it through a heat exchanger, extracting excess heat from the system to required operating conditions.
The glycol solution circulates continuously between the chiller and the connected equipment. As it moves through the system, it absorbs heat before returning to the chiller for cooling again. This continuous cycle provides stable cooling output, which is important for production lines and temperature-sensitive environments.
Because the glycol mixture can operate at sub-zero temperatures without freezing, these systems support applications where chilled water alone would not perform safely. In some cases, Pure Thermal systems can operate with leaving water or glycol temperatures as low as –30°C, depending on the application.
Use of Natural Refrigerants
Pure Thermal glycol chillers use refrigerants with reduced global warming potential or natural refrigerants. This helps lower environmental impact compared to traditional cooling systems that rely on synthetic refrigerants with higher GWP values.
Natural refrigerant options such as hydrocarbon or glycol chillers CO2 systems also remove concerns around F-Gas compliance. This supports facilities against future refrigerant cost increases or regulatory changes linked to phased reductions in HFC refrigerants.
For businesses planning future cooling investment, this offers a measured way to manage compliance requirements without needing major system changes at a later stage.
Integration with Existing Cooling Infrastructure
Pure Thermal glycol chillers can integrate with existing cooling plant. Many systems link to air handling units, fan coils, or production cooling circuits without the need for extensive site modifications.
This makes them suitable for retrofit projects where ageing chillers require replacement. Operators can modernise their cooling equipment while maintaining current distribution systems such as pipework and control infrastructure.
Where simultaneous heating and cooling demand exists, certain systems can also provide heat recovery outputs. Waste heat from the cooling cycle can be used elsewhere on site, for example for domestic hot water or space heating. In some applications, recovered heat can match or exceed the original cooling output under appropriate operating conditions.
Process Cooling in Manufacturing Environments
Cooling systems within manufacturing environments often operate continuously throughout the year. Equipment such as processing machinery, hydraulic systems, or packaging lines generate heat during operation.
A glycol chiller removes excess heat and maintains equipment within a controlled working temperature range. This helps prevent overheating and supports consistent production output. In facilities where simultaneous heating demand exists, recovered waste heat can also reduce reliance on separate heating plant.
Pure Thermal chillers are available with capacities from thirty kilowatts up to 3 MW, depending on project requirements. These systems support both new-build projects and upgrades to existing installations where cooling demand has changed.
Suitable Applications
- Food and drink production
- Manufacturing and production plants
- Pharmaceutical facilities
- Large-scale HVAC systems
- Process cooling circuits
- Cold storage environments
In each case, the objective remains the same: the system must deliver reliable temperature control and protect equipment or products from heat-related damage.
Project and Engineering Support
Pure Thermal provides engineering support throughout each project stage, including application review, equipment selection, system commissioning, and ongoing maintenance assistance.
An in-house applications engineering team works with system designers and contractors to ensure that the selected glycol chiller matches site demand and operating conditions.
This structured approach helps reduce performance issues after installation, as system design takes account of load demand, operating temperatures, and integration with other plant already in use.
For organisations that require dependable process cooling, a correctly specified glycol chiller provides long-term temperature stability while supporting energy efficiency across the wider site.