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16. Glycol chiller essentials: A comprehensive look at chiller components, critical design integrations, and opportunities for reducing ownership cost

R. M. STOCKINGER (1); (1) Arcadia Ales, Kalamazoo, MI, U.S.A.

Engineering II
Thursday, October 8
3:45–5:00 p.m.
River Terrace 2

Review chiller components: discuss critical chiller components and present the purpose and design within the system; present a basic understanding of refrigerant and the thermodynamics present in their system; showcase common chiller failures and techniques for self-diagnosis and repair; and chiller performance related to outside temperatures. Review glycol selection and maintenance: discuss common glycol types, glycol attributes, and proper selection for a brewery; define proper dilution rates and process temperatures; and discuss proper glycol maintenance. Critical design parameters for breweries: explore chiller plumbing design and options; calculations to determine proper chiller sizing (bigger is never better); importance of staging ability and cooling redundancy; and incorporating expansion requirements in the predesign stage. Opportunities for energy savings: staging ability and its inherent benefit to energy savings; use of freq drives, EC fans, and oversized condensers; and calculate potential savings and prove long-term benefits.

Ryan Stockinger is the engineering and maintenance manager for Arcadia Ales in Kalamazoo, MI. He is responsible for engineering aspects of the brewery, including brewery expansion, brewhouse and cellar process controls, production process controls and improvement, and facility maintenance. Ryan graduated with a mechanical engineering degree from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. Before entering the craft brewing industry, Ryan was a senior engineer for a prominent glycol chiller manufacturer and was responsible for refrigeration, plumbing, and electrical engineering design. After a 5 year tenure in the Engineering Department he was promoted to an application engineering position, leading the custom equipment market with a strong focus on the brewing and craft industry. Being continually immersed in the company of the craft industry fueled his passion for beer and the process behind it and allowed for a seamless transition into his current role at Arcadia.

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