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Differences Between Shell-and-Tube Chillers and Coil Heat Chillers

2026/09/04 By le zhan

Differences Between Shell-and-Tube Chillers and Coil Heat Chillers

When selecting a chiller, customers often compare cooling capacity and compressor types, or focus on whether the unit is air-cooled or water-cooled. However, another design difference directly affects installation: the evaporator cooling method. For Topstar chillers, the main distinction between shell-and-tube chillers and coil heat chillers is the evaporator cooling method. The evaporator structure determines how the chiller interfaces with the water tank, which in turn dictates the installation requirements for the entire cooling system.

The TCW and TCA series feature coil-type evaporators. These coil heat chillers must operate with a built-in water tank; therefore, the unit itself incorporates the water tank as an integral part of the system.

The TCW-T and TCA-T series shell-and-tube chillers, by contrast, use shell-and-tube evaporators. Although they also require a water tank, the entire system needs only one tank, which can either be housed inside the unit or installed separately on-site by the customer.

Therefore, before selecting a shell-and-tube model, Topstar must confirm whether the customer’s existing cooling system already includes a water tank.

Shell-and-tube Chillers and Coil-type Chillers Use Different Evaporator Cooling Structures

The fundamental difference between shell-and-tube chillers and coil-type chillers lies in the evaporator. The evaporator transfers heat from the process water to the refrigerant in a refrigeration system. Although both designs ultimately achieve the same cooling function, they handle the water side differently.

Shell-and-tube chillers use a separate shell-and-tube evaporator

In a shell-and-tube evaporator, water and refrigerant exchange heat through separate passages within the heat exchanger. This configuration allows the evaporator to operate as part of a larger circulating water system.

The TCW-T and TCA-T series utilize this shell-and-tube configuration.

These shell-and-tube chillers require a water tank to maintain a stable water circulation, but the tank does not necessarily have to be built into the chiller. It can be:

a built-in tank provided as part of the unit or an external tank already installed at the customer’s site.

The key principle is that the entire system requires only one water tank.

If the customer already has an external process water tank, adding a built-in tank may unnecessarily complicate the system. Therefore, a site survey is essential when selecting a shell-and-tube model.

Shell-and-tube chiller

Differences Between Shell-and-Tube and Coil Heat Chillers Regarding Water Tank Integration

Tosda’s TCW and TCA series are coil heat chillers. Their coil evaporators work in conjunction with built-in tanks, meaning the tank is an integral part of the cooling configuration.

Specifically:

TCW / TCA coil heat chillers → Must be equipped with a built-in tank

TCW-T / TCA-T shell-and-tube chillers → Require only one tank (either built-in or external)

This difference matters most when customers install chillers in existing plant environments.

For example, if a central water tank is already located next to the customer’s production line, a shell-and-tube configuration may integrate more naturally with the existing system. Conversely, if the customer needs a complete, standalone cooling system and has no existing water tank, a coil-type chiller with a built-in water tank offers a simple, straightforward solution.

Coil-type water chiller

Shell-and-tube Chillers Require Different Site Surveys and Selection Criteria

When choosing between the two design options, the customer’s actual chilled water system layout should be the primary consideration.

If you choose a shell-and-tube chiller, we will confirm one key point:

Does the customer’s site already have a water tank?

The answer will determine the appropriate system configuration.

Topstar
Series		Evaporator TypeWater Tank RequirementMain Selection Check
TCWCoil typeInternal tank requiredChiller should include its own tank
TCACoil typeInternal tank requiredChiller should include its own tank
TCW-TShell-and-tubeOne internal or external tankCheck whether site already has a tank
TCA-TShell-and-tubeOne internal or external tankCheck whether site already has a tank

Shell-and-tube Chillers Are Suitable When a Water Tank Is Already Present on Site

If the facility already has an external chilled water tank, TCW-T or TCA-T shell-and-tube chillers can be configured around the existing water storage system.

This type of chiller is particularly suitable for the following production environments:

  • Multiple pieces of equipment share a common chilled water supply;
  • The customer already has a central water tank;
  • Existing process piping is built around an external water storage tank;
  • Chillers need to be integrated into an existing cooling network.

In these production environments, you only need to verify tank capacity, the water circulation method, pump layout, and piping connections. The key is to avoid installing a second, unnecessary tank.

Be Sure to Verify the Existing Water System Before Selection

A common misconception during selection is focusing solely on cooling capacity while neglecting the customer’s existing water infrastructure.

If two chillers have similar rated cooling capacities but one uses a coil-type evaporator. In contrast, the other uses a shell-and-tube evaporator, their installation layout requirements may differ significantly. Therefore, we recommend verifying the following points before finalizing the model selection:

  • Is there already an on-site water tank?
  • Is this tank dedicated to this cooling circuit?
  • Where will the circulation pump be installed?
  • How will the chiller be connected to the existing process water circulation piping?
  • Does the customer require a standalone, all-in-one unit, or does it need to be integrated into an existing cooling system?

Clarifying these questions will help us determine the best solution for you: a TCW/TCA coil-type chiller with a built-in water tank, or a TCW-T/TCA-T shell-and-tube chiller integrated with a built-in or external water tank.

A Practical Selection Guide

For customers, the difference between the two boils down to a simple decision-making principle:

When the cooling unit needs a built-in water tank, choose the TCW or TCA series coil-type chillers; when the system needs to work with an existing water tank outside the equipment, choose the TCW-T or TCA-T series shell-and-tube chillers.

Therefore, the evaporator’s cooling method affects not only the heat exchanger’s structural design but also how the chiller integrates with the customer’s water system. Whether the final model is an air-cooled or water-cooled chiller, we first assess the required cooling capacity and condensation method, then determine the evaporator and water-tank configuration.

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