How exactly would people feel if their offices, or workplaces, do not have water coolers? Perhaps they’d all slump to the floor in dehydration after working nonstop for 8 hours! Yes, drinking water is perhaps the most essential requirement for every human being, and if water is available in chilled form, then it will be very nice to drink especially during those hot, humid days. Here’s a sneak peek at a few of the most common types of water coolers.
Storage Type Water Cooler
In general, water coolers are utilized to reduce the temperature of water regardless of the ambient temperature. Water chillers and coolers are used in offices, schools, malls, factories, movie theaters and more.
Most water coolers work with the aid of a thermostat switch that; set within a particular range. All water chillers and coolers consist of basic parts which are the same as that of a refrigerator, as it has a compressor, condenser and expansion device, and there are also provisions for the water inlet and outlet.
Now, storage type water coolers have all the parts that are used in a normal fridge that people use in homes or offices. These parts include the compressor, condenser, expansion device and an evaporator, or the space where water is to be cooled.
The refrigerant flows form the compressor to the condenser, where the high pressure refrigerant vapor is converted into high pressure liquid refrigerant. From the condenser, the liquid refrigerant flows through the expansion device where the high pressure refrigerant is converted into low pressure, low temperature liquid refrigerant.
When the water is drawn from the cooler for drinking, an equal amount of water is being admitted in to the tank. And when the temperature if the water increases more than the set point, the machine automatically starts its cycle.
Instantaneous Type Water Cooler
Instantaneous type water coolers usually consist of two separate cylindrically-wound coils, one coil is for the refrigerant while the other is for water. The coils may be made of copper or stainless steel tubes, and usually both coils are bonded together through soldering. The water is then cooled by the refrigerant through conduction in the evaporator.
Bottle Type Water Cooler
In bottle type water coolers , the water to be cooled is stored in a bottle or reservoir, which are usually 25-liter bottles that are placed on top of the unit. A faucet is then used to reduce water wastage, and the drip receptor receives water that’s not used, and sends it through the drainage.
When someone operates the faucet, the water flows from the bottle to the water coil through the flow regulator. As the water travels through the coil, it loses its latent heat to the refrigerant in the evaporator coil, thus a reduction in water temperature is achieved.
A thermostat is then placed at the end of the water coil to the compressor start and stop according to eh water temperature. This type of water cooler is popularly used in homes, hospitals, offices, shops, factories and more.
Pressure Type Water Cooler
In pressure type water coolers , the water is supplied under pressure, and the water passing through our pipes enters the cooler at the rear, and is initially cooled in a pre-cooler. The waste water passing through the drainage line is also cool, hence the drainage pipe us wrapped around the freshwater pipe for cooling, which helps reduce the cooling load for the cooler.
The pre-cooled water is then taken to the storage chamber, where the refrigerant gains heat from the water. The outlet for the water is taken from the bottom of the storage tank, which could either be a bubbler or self-closing valve. A thermostat is then utilized to control the temperature of the water in the pipe to effectively maintain a particular temperature point.
Self-Contained Remote Type Water Cooler
Self-contained remote type water coolers have a system which consists of a mechanical refrigeration system, where the water being cooled is remote from the desired drinking place. This remote water cooler supplies cold water to the desired drinking spot or location.
The thermostat is clamped onto the water pipe at its outlet, and the flow rate is adjusted to match its capacity. If the flow rate is higher, the cooler will not bring down the water’s temperature to the set point, and this results in a high evaporator temperature which in turn leads to a high suction pressure, which could adversely affect the compressor motor.
If you’re currently shopping around for water coolers , apart from the type of cooler, here are other factors that you probably need to consider too. First, how do you plan to use it? Will you be buying and refilling your 2 ,4 or 5 gallon water bottles, or will it be a point-of-use system which taps in and purifies from your water source?
Next, consider space. There are actually options for small spaces like boats, recreational vehicles or buses, as well as large spaces like homes, offices and factories. Water cooler prices also vary dues to size, aesthetics, special features and applications.
The other features to consider when buying water coolers the type of purification system, cup holders, drip trays and hot & cold features. For the purification system, filtration kits are designed to eliminate sediments, small particles, lead and chlorine from the water source that’s connected to the water cooler. For cup holders, there are various models which offer internal or external spaces for drinking cup storage.
For the hot and cold feature, some water coolers have, in addition to cooled water, a device which produces hot water for coffee, tea, cooking and other purposes. Removable drip trays help with clean-up and in preventing messy spills.
