Portable & Packaged Chillers

The two terms are often used interchangeably because both describe self-contained chiller systems that include a compressor, pump, reservoir, controls, and condenser, all built into a single enclosure. The practical distinction comes down to mobility and footprint. Smaller units in the 1 to 10 ton range are typically mounted on casters and moved between processes as production needs shift, while larger 15 to 40 ton units stay in a fixed location and serve one or two pieces of equipment continuously. If you anticipate moving the unit, reconfiguring a plant floor, or supporting temporary production runs, a smaller portable model is usually the better fit. Production lines with a steady cooling load year-round generally benefit from a larger packaged unit sized closer to the maximum load.

Thermal Care manufactures portable and packaged chillers from 1 ton through 40 tons across three series: the Accuchiller EQ Series (1 to 3 ton), the Accuchiller NQ Series (4 to 40 ton), and the variable-speed Accuchiller NQV Series (5 to 30 ton). Selecting the correct size involves calculating the BTU/hr heat load of your process, choosing the leaving fluid temperature, and accounting for ambient conditions at the install site. A useful starting point is 12,000 BTU/hr per ton of cooling at standard conditions of 50°F leaving coolant and 95°F ambient air. For applications with lower fluid temperatures, glycol mixtures, or ambient air above 95°F, capacity derates apply, and a larger nominal tonnage is typically needed.

A remote condenser model, sometimes called a split-system chiller, locates the compressor and evaporator inside the building near the process, while the air-cooled condenser is mounted outdoors and connected by refrigerant lines. This configuration is useful when indoor floor space is limited, when the heat rejected by an air-cooled unit would overload the plant HVAC, or when noise in the production area needs to be reduced. Remote condenser units carry the same nominal tonnage ratings as standard air-cooled portable and packaged chillers, but the installation requires a refrigeration contractor to run, evacuate, and charge the line set during commissioning.

Standard portable units circulate clean water with a corrosion inhibitor, but the same chassis can be configured for propylene glycol or ethylene glycol mixtures when freeze protection is required or when the leaving fluid temperature is below 45°F. Glycol concentrations of 25 to 40 percent are common for industrial cooling, and chiller capacity will be derated by approximately 5 to 15 percent, depending on the concentration used. For unusual fluids, dirty process water, or applications requiring stainless-steel wetted components, our sales engineers can recommend material upgrades or a heat exchanger isolation loop so the chiller itself stays on clean fluid.

A single portable chiller can serve several machines if the combined heat load fits within the unit's capacity at the lowest required leaving fluid temperature, and if all machines tolerate the same supply temperature. When loads cycle on and off independently or when temperature requirements differ between machines, a central chiller paired with individual temperature control units is generally a better long-term fit than oversizing a single portable unit. Our application engineers can review your machine list and operating schedule to recommend whether a single chiller, multiple chillers, or a central system is the right configuration.