JOHNSON CONTROLS
16
FORM 160.84-OM1
ISSUE DATE: 9/21/2017
SECTION 1 - SYSTEM FUNDAMENTALS
The YMC
2
Chiller controls capacity by adjusting the
compressor VGD position, the compressor motor Vari-
able Speed Drive (VSD), and optional Hot Gas Bypass
valve (HGBP) position (if equipped) in a specific se-
quence depending on whether loading or unloading is
required to keep Leaving Chilled Liquid Temperature
at setpoint. Motor speed is additionally and simulta-
neously adjusted as necessary to maintain the mini-
mum compressor lift required to prevent surge. The
sequence for operation of the control devices is as fol-
lows to achieve the best chiller efficiency:
• Conditions require capacity increase: HGBP (if
present) is driven toward closed. Then when the
HGBP is full closed, VGD is driven toward open.
Then when the VGD is full open, VSD speed is
increased.
• Conditions require capacity decrease: VSD speed
is decreased. Then when VSD speed is at the min-
imum limit to avoid surge for the lift, the VGD is
driven toward closed. Then when the VGD reach-
es closed, the HGBP (if present) is driven toward
open.
Also, High Condenser Pressure, Low Evaporator Pres-
sure, High Motor Current, and High Input Current lim-
its and overrides limit or reduce the output to the ap-
propriate devices (HGBP, VGD, or VSD) to mitigate
the condition to keep the chiller online. As any of these
physical thresholds are approached, the control will
proportionally limit the amount of capacity increase
permitted and if exceeded will issue unloading into the
capacity control command.
Anti-Surge Minimum Frequency
In order to maintain sufficient compressor lift to over-
come condenser pressure and prevent surge through-
out operation, the control maintains and continuously
updates a minimum limit for VSD speed. This limit is
the Active Anti-Surge Minimum Frequency. It is calcu-
lated and applied to the speed each cycle of the capac-
ity control routine.
Smart Freeze
The Smart Freeze feature prevents nuisance chiller
shutdowns due to brief periods of chilled liquid flow
fluctuations or other brief operating conditions that
would normally cause Low Evaporator Pressure Safe-
ty shutdowns. With this feature enabled and activated,
the chiller is permitted to ride through these tempo-
rary conditions. Also, this feature allows the Leaving
Chilled Liquid Temperature Setpoint to be set as low as
36.0ºF (2.2ºC). Smart Freeze protection can be enabled
or disabled at the Keypad, by a Service Technician. It
cannot be used in Brine cooling mode.
Smart Freeze protection uses the Evaporator Refriger-
ant Temperature as one of the variables to determine
when freezing is imminent. The basis of this feature
is that the chilled liquid contains an amount of heat,
which cannot be eliminated immediately. Therefore,
it requires a certain amount of time for the liquid to
change to a solid. During this period of time, those pa-
rameters that determine when solidification will occur
are evaluated and the shutdown is based on accumu-
lated time below the freeze temperature.
Surge Protection
The surge protection feature detects surge events. It
provides a running count of the surges detected over
the lifetime of the chiller. It allows the user to define
how many surges are excessive and how the control
will react to an excess surge condition. When exces-
sive surging is detected, this feature can shutdown the
chiller.
Surge events are detected by monitoring the relation-
ship between the Condenser pressure and Evaporator
pressure while the chiller is running. An excess surge
condition is detected by comparing the number of
surge events that occur in a selectable time period to a
selectable threshold.
If the number of surge events (Surge Window Count)
detected in the time period programmed as the COUNT
WINDOW setpoint (1 to 5 minutes; default 5) exceed
the threshold programmed as the COUNT LIMIT
setpoint (4 to 20; default 4) an excess surge condition
has been detected.
Unless the SHUTDOWN features have been enabled,
as explained below, the chiller will continue to run
under the same conditions displaying WARNING –
EXCESS SURGE DETECTED. This message will be
displayed until manually reset with the Warning Re-
set key in Operator access level. If the SHUTDOWN
setpoint is Enabled, when an excess surge condition
has been detected a safety shutdown will be performed
and SURGE PROTECTION - EXCESS SURGE is
displayed.