WANTED- Chiller for Spectra Physics 165 w/265 PS

JohnFP · Post by **JohnFP** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 11:35 am

I hope it is ok to list wanteds here, Colin is this ok?

Anyway, I am looking for the above chiller if anyone has one.

So far from what I gathered I need a 14kW chiller with a flow rate >2.2 gpm. Anyone know if this is correct?

BobH · Post by **BobH** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 3:59 am

I searched on Ebay for "recirculating chiller" and came up with the one linked below. It ought to do the job.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WDVW

Check out Laser Resale as well.

JohnFP · Post by **JohnFP** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:28 am

That is a good find Bob, thank you. I am reasearching if this model will perform the function properly. I search e-bay for quite a few buzz word and did not see this unit. I also checked laserresale and most of their chillers were in the $ thousands. Thanks again.

I was contemplating about the ambient heating problem in my lab and was thinking. This is ironic. Here I have a laser and I have to throw the heat away, while wasting water and somehow I need heat add heat to the lab. Well, I am not sure if this will be more efficient then using the electric for simple heat but it will elliminate the need for constant running water with heat as a byproduct. In the summer the lab is still cool anyway and I may just have to set up a type of ventilation exaust for the area around the unit.

Also, I may, but it's a long shot, have an available new location for the lab in my house if all plays out well and I do not want to run the water that far from the main water tank.

JohnFP · Post by **JohnFP** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 9:31 pm

Bob, I inquired about chiller and calculating my water flow (2.2 gpm) and Delta Temperature (54 F in and 80F out = Delta T of 26 degrees F) I need obout 28,600 BTU or 8390 watts of cooling (2.4 Tons). That chiller only does 2000 watts. Seems I need a huge chiller. New they are $6,000.

Not sure I will be able to find one used and working that is that big.

edelbrp · Post by **edelbrp** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 2:13 am

Humm, reminds me of the air conditioning in my house. It's a lot cheaper to buy a few window units than one large unit. Can you daisy-chain them, or run them in parallel? Perhaps use a water chiller for domestic purposes instead of something industrial?

-Phil

JohnFP · Post by **JohnFP** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 4:18 am

Good thought, though I would need 5 of those small ones bob poined out not counting cooling loss from one tank to the other.

I guess I could build one. Take a couple of air high end air conditioners and redo the coils with stainless tubing and put them in a large insulated tank.

BobH · Post by **BobH** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 5:25 am

I think you may have made a mistake in your calculations, by a factor of ten. I've used chillers that size to cool small frame ion lasers many times in the past. I'd suggest calling Neslab, Bay Voltek or Affinity and asking for spec sheets on their products typically used to cool lasers such as yours.

BobH · Post by **BobH** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 6:06 am

Well, I did my own calculation and your're right.

8KW is about right. I think you'll be able to find one though, and it'll be about the same size as that shown. Probably a bigger reservoir and compressor, but not a monster. Also, it's Bay Voltex. Search for those three names on Ebay and with used equipment dealers.

JohnFP · Post by **JohnFP** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 1:30 pm

I wonder if the SP 165 will allow an increase in flow rate. This would bring down the cooling capicity.

Anyone know what safe, maximum flow rate can be used in the SP 165-265? The manual does not state.

Maybe I should just run a hose with pump to the swimming pool!!! Plenty of cooling in the fall, winter and spring, and maybe enough volume for the summer also. Just kidding LOL!

BobH · Post by **BobH** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 5:40 pm

Rich Rallison did that and it worked fine. Your idea of running the outlet water from the laser through heat exchangers to heat the basement and/or house is also a great idea. Why not? The only thing you'll need to pay attention to is temperature regulation ... easy to do I'm sure.

If the laser head is mounted on the table, you want minimum flow rate to minimize vibration caused bu turbulence within the head.