Reciprocating Compressors - Operating Costs

Operating costs will depend on electric rates. Reciprocating chiller packages typically have the highest operating costs of any of the various electric chiller options when expressed as a kW per ton figure at ARI standard conditions. Air-cooled chillers typically have a full-load design kW per ton even higher than water-cooled units. However, the operating profile of the facility will have a major effect on actual operating costs.

For example, an air-cooled chiller serving a hospital operating room suite that operates year-round could well have a lower annual electric cost than a comparable water-cooled unit, due to the large number of operating hours the unit will be operating at part-load and low-ambient temperature conditions. Only a careful energy use analysis of each application performed by a qualified professional can identify the most economical equipment choice.

Maintenance costs must also be factored in. Here are some typical mid-1995 $ per ton annual values.

If the chiller is driven by a natural gas engine, the added maintenance costs of the engine must also be included. Typically this amounts to about $0.012 per ton per operating hour.

And Furthermore . . .