“We build chillers using the most energy efficient components available,” says Jeff Johnson, vice president of Johnson Thermal Systems, which builds chillers for GE Healthcare. “We use digital scroll compressors that decrease the energy consumption by up to 80 percent when in stand-by mode. We also use a newer technology of EC fan motor that allow for variable speed operation and are more efficient than standard AC motors or VFDs. We've focused our product development on high quality while keeping in mind price and energy consumption for the end user.”

Growing business
As OEMs continue to bring to market new MRIs and CTs designed for the increasing number of bariatric patients, the chiller industry must keep up with what’s being introduced. Of course, it’s not just the overweight patients who can use them, as nearly everyone is comfortable with more space, making the increased roominess a marketing touch point as well.
“There is a lot of improved technology in imaging for wide-bore MRIs and they are coming full and fast with technological improvements to be able to capture images with the larger openings that they have designed,” Bernard says. “Two of our major OEMs have just introduced theirs in the last eight months, and we are starting to supply a lot of chillers exactly for that.”

Due to the needs of larger chillers for some of the newer MR systems, affordable operating costs are a factor many end-users now consider.

“A lot of times people think with technological advancements, chillers are getting smaller, but that’s not true,” Johnson says. “GE went from a three-ton chiller to 15- and 20-ton chillers, which is a significant capital increase and power increase.”

Staying on top of it all
Many of the chiller companies are starting to offer communications systems with their chillers that can let someone in a central station monitor all of the equipment throughout the entire building, providing information and feedback on any problems automatically.

"This can be accomplished through the use of LON protocol and BACnet, and even Ethernet for fully remote monitoring via a website,” Bernard says. “DTS is able to supply these technologies for any Building Management System.”

Dimplex also recently developed an alert system for its chillers to send e-mail notifications direct to people’s phones.

“If they get any kind of chiller fault or anything of that nature, it comes right up on an e-mail message telling them the chiller needs attention,” Bernard says. “This way, no one has to be glued to anywhere and it helps for overnight as well, when there’s no one at the facility at that time.”

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