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CHAPTER 14

FORCED-CIRCULATION AIR COOLERS

Types of Forced-Circulation Air Coolers ..................................................................................... 14.1
Components................................................................................................................................... 14.2
Air Movement and Distribution .................................................................................................... 14.3
Unit Ratings .................................................................................................................................. 14.4
Installation and Operation............................................................................................................ 14.6
More Information .......................................................................................................................... 14.6

F ORCED-CIRCULATION unit coolers and product coolers are

designed to operate continuously in refrigerated enclosures; a
cooling coil and motor-driven fan are their basic components, and
Both types of units are equipped with higher-volume fans. They are
used in vegetable preparation rooms, walk-in rooms for wrapped
fresh meat, and dairy coolers. These units normally extract more
provide cooling or freezing temperatures and proper airflow to the moisture from ambient air than low-velocity units do. Discharge air
room. Coil defrost equipment is added for low-temperature opera- velocities at the coil face range from 1 to 2 m/s.
tions when coil frosting might impede performance. Low-silhouette units are 300 to 380 mm high. Medium- or
Any unit (e.g., blower coil, unit cooler, product cooler, cold dif- mid-height units are 450 to 900 mm high. Those over 900 mm high
fuser unit, air-conditioning air handler) is considered a forced-air
cooler when operated under refrigeration conditions. Many design
Licensed for single user. 2010 ASHRAE, Inc.

and construction choices are available, including (1) various coil Fig. 1 Sloped-Front Unit Cooler for Reach-In Cabinets
types and fin spacing; (2) electric, gas, air, water, or hot-brine de-
frosting; (3) discharge air velocity and direction; (4) centrifugal or
propeller fans, either belt- or direct-driven; (5) ducted or nonducted;
and/or (6) freestanding or ceiling-suspended, or penthouse (roof-
mounted).
Fans in these units direct air over a refrigerated coil contained in
an enclosure. For nearly all applications of these units, the coil low-
ers airflow temperature below its dew point, which causes conden-
sate or frost to form on the coil surface. However, the normal
refrigeration load is a sensible heat load; therefore, the coil surface
is considered dry. Rapid and frequent defrosting on a timed cycle
can maintain this dry-surface condition, or the coil and airflow can
be designed to reduce frost accumulation and its effect on refriger-
ation capacity.

TYPES OF FORCED-CIRCULATION AIR COOLERS

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate features of some types of air coolers.
Sloped-front unit coolers, often called reach-in unit coolers,
range from 125 to 250 mm high (Figure 1). Their distinctive sloped
fronts are designed for horizontal top mounting as a single unit, or
for installation as a group of parallel connected units. Direct-drive
fans are sloped to fit in the restricted return airstream, which rises
past the access doors and across the ceiling of the enclosure. Air- Fig. 1 Sloped-Front Unit Cooler for Reach-In Cabinets
flows are usually less than 70 L/s per fan. Commonly, these units
are installed in back-bar and under-the-counter fixtures, as well as
in vertical, self-serve, glass door reach-in enclosures.
Fig. 2 Low-Air-Velocity Unit
Low-air-velocity units feature a long, narrow profile (Figure 2).
They have a dual-coil arrangement, and usually two or more fans.
These units are used in above-freezing meat-cutting rooms and in
carcass and floral walk-in enclosures, as well as 2C meat carcass
holding rooms. They are designed to maintain as high a humidity as
possible in the enclosure. The units airflow velocity is low and fins
on the coil are amply spaced, which reduces the coils wetted surface
area and thus the amount of dew-point contact area for the air stream.
Discharge air velocities at the coil face range from 0.4 to 1.0 m/s.
Medium-air-velocity unit coolers originally had a half-round
appearance, although the more common version (often called low-
profile units) features a long, narrow, dual-coil unit design (Figure 3).

The preparation of this chapter is assigned to TC 8.4, Air-to-Refrigerant

Heat Transfer Equipment. Fig. 2 Low-Air-Velocity Unit

14.1
Copyright 2010, ASHRAE
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14.2 2010 ASHRAE HandbookRefrigeration (SI)

Fig. 3 Low-Profile Cooler Fig. 4 Liquid Overfeed Type Unit Cooler

Fig. 3 Low-Profile Cooler

are classified as high-silhouette unit coolers, which are used in

warehouse-sized coolers and freezers. Air velocity at the coil face Fig. 4 Liquid Overfeed Unit Cooler
can be over 3 m/s. Outlet air velocities range from 5 to 10 m/s when
Licensed for single user. 2010 ASHRAE, Inc.

the unit is equipped with cone-shaped fan discharge venturis for sprayed-coil units can be used in special applications requiring low
extended air throw. relative humidity. For these applications, both a high brine concen-
Spray coils feature a saturated coil surface that can cool pro- trate (near its eutectic point) and a large difference between the pro-
cessed air closer to the coil surface temperature than can a regular cess air and the refrigerant temperature are maintained. Process air
(nonsprayed) coil. In addition, the spray continuously defrosts the is reheated downstream from the sprayed coil to correct the dry-bulb
low-temperature coil. Unlike unit coolers, spray coolers are usually temperature.
floor-mounted and discharge air vertically. Unit sections include a
drain pan/sump, coil with spray section, moisture eliminators, and COMPONENTS
fan with drive. The eliminators prevent airborne spray droplets from
discharging into the refrigerated area. Typically, belt-driven centrif- Draw-Through and Blow-Through Airflow
ugal fans draw air through the coil at 3 m/s or less. Unit fans may draw air through the cooling coil and discharge it
Water can be used as the spray medium for coil surfaces with tem- through the fan outlet into the enclosure, or they may blow air
peratures above freezing. For coil surfaces with temperatures below through the cooling coil and discharge it from the coil face into the
freezing, a suitable chemical must be added to the water to lower the enclosure. Blow-through units have a slightly higher thermal effi-
freezing point to 11C, or below the coil surface temperature. Some ciency because heat from the fan is removed from the forced air-
suitable recirculating solutions include the following: stream by the coil, but their air distribution pattern is less effective
Sodium chloride solution is limited to a room temperature of than the draw-through design. Draw-through fan energy adds to the
12C or higher. Its minimum freezing point is 21C. heat load of the refrigerated enclosure, but heat gain from small (less
Calcium chloride solution can be used for enclosure tempera- than 1 kW) or small three-phase integral fan motors is not signifi-
tures down to about 23C, but its use may be prohibited in enclo- cant. Selection of draw-through or blow-through depends more on a
sures containing food products. manufacturers design features for the unit size required, air throw
Aqueous glycol solutions are commonly used in water and/or required for the particular enclosure, and accessibility of the coil for
sprayed-coil coolers operating below freezing. Food-grade pro- periodic surface cleaning.
pylene glycol solutions are commonly used because of their low The blow-through design has a lower discharge air velocity be-
oral toxicity, but they generally become too viscous to pump at cause the entire coil face area is usually the discharge opening
temperatures below 25C. Ethylene glycol solutions may be (grilles and diffusers not considered). Throw of 10 m or less is com-
pumped at temperatures as low as 40C. Because of its toxicity, mon for the average standard air velocity from a blow-through unit.
sprayed ethylene glycol in other than sealed tunnels or freezers Greater throw, in excess of 30 m, is normal for draw-through cen-
(no human access allowed during process) is usually prohibited trifugal units. The propeller fan in the high-silhouette draw-through
by most jurisdictions. When a glycol mix is sprayed in food stor- unit cooler is popular for intermediate ranges of air throw.
age rooms, any spray carryover must be maintained within the
limits prescribed by all applicable regulations. Fan Assemblies
All brines are hygroscopic; that is, they absorb condensate and Direct-drive propeller fans (motor plus blade) are popular
become progressively weaker. This dilution can be corrected by con- because they are simple, economical, and can be installed in multi-
tinually adding salt to the solution to maintain a sufficient below- ple assemblies in a unit cooler housing. Additionally, they require
freezing temperature. Salt is extremely corrosive, and must be less motor power for a given airflow capacity.
contained in the sprayed-coil unit with suitable corrosive-resistant The centrifugal fan assembly usually includes belts, bearings,
materials or coatings, which must be periodically inspected and sheaves, and coupler drives, each with inherent maintenance prob-
maintained. All untreated brines are corrosive: neutralizing the lems. This design is necessary, however, for applications with high
spray solution relative to its contact material is required. air distribution static pressure losses (e.g., enclosures with ductwork
Sprayed-coil units are usually installed in refrigerated enclosures runs, tunnel conveyors, and densely stacked products). Centrifugal-
requiring high humidity (e.g., chill coolers). Paradoxically, the same fan-equipped units are also used in produce-ripening rooms, where
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Forced-Circulation Air Coolers 14.3

a large air blast and 125 to 185 Pa discharge air static is needed for side; therefore, the required defrost cycle is determined by the inlet
proper air circulation around all the product in the enclosure, to surface condition. In contrast, a reduced secondary-surface-to-
ensure uniform batch ripening. primary-surface ratio produces greater frost accumulations at the
coil outlet face. A long-held theory is that accumulation of rela-
Casing tively more frost at the coil entry air surface somewhat improves
Casing materials are selected for compatibility with the enclo- the heat transfer capacity of the coil. However, overall accumu-
sure environment. Aluminum (coated or uncoated) or steel (galva- lated coil frost usually has two negative effects: it (1) impedes heat
nized or suitably coated) are typical casing materials. Stainless steel transfer because of its insulating effect, and (2) reduces airflow be-
is also used in food storage or preparation enclosures where sanita- cause it restricts the free airflow area within the coil. Both effects,
tion must be maintained. On larger cooler units, internal framing is to different degrees, result from combinations of airflow, fin spac-
fabricated of sufficiently substantial material, such as galvanized ing, frost density, and ambient air conditions.
steel, and casings are usually made with similar material. Some Depending on the defrost method, as much as 80% of the de-
plastic casings are used in small unit coolers, whereas some large, frost head load of the unit could be transferred into the enclosure.
ceiling-suspended units may have all-aluminum construction to This heat load is not normally included as part of the enclosure
reduce weight. heat gain calculation. The units refrigeration capacity rating is av-
eraged over a 24 h period, by a factor that estimates the typical
Coil Construction hours per day of refrigeration running time, including the defrost
Coil construction varies from uncoated (all) aluminum tube and cycles.
fin to hot-dipped galvanized (all) steel tube and fin, depending on the As previously mentioned, time between defrost cycles can be
type of refrigerant used and the environmental exposure of the coil. increased by using more coil tube rows and wider fin spacing. Ice
The most popular unit coolers have coils with copper tubes and alu- accumulation, which interferes with airflow, should be avoided to
minum fins. Ammonia refrigerant evaporators never use copper reduce both the frequency and duration of the defrost cycles. For
tubes because ammonia corrodes copper. Also, sprayed coils are not example, in low-temperature applications having high latent loads,
constructed with aluminum fins unless they are completely protected unit coolers should not be located above freezer entry or exit doors.
Licensed for single user. 2010 ASHRAE, Inc.

with a baked-on phenolic dip coating or similar protection applied

after fabrication. Coils constructed with stainless steel tubes and fins Operational Controls
are preferred in corrosive environments, and all-stainless construc- In the simplest form, electromechanical controls cycle the refrig-
tion, or with aluminum fins, is preferred in environments where high eration system components to maintain the desired enclosure tem-
standards of sanitation are maintained. perature and defrost cycle. Pressure-responsive modulating control
Fin spacings vary from 3 to 4 mm between fins for coils with sur- valves, such as evaporator-pressure regulators and head-pressure
faces above 0C when latent loads are insignificant. Otherwise, 4 to controls, are also used. A temperature control could be a thermostat
8 mm between fins is the accepted spacing for coil surfaces below mounted in the enclosure, used to cycle the compressor on and off,
0C, with a 6 mm fin spacing when latent loads exceed 15% of the or a liquid-line solenoid valve that allows liquid refrigerant to flow
total load. Fin spacings of 25 and 12 mm are used when defrosting to the evaporator coil. A suction-pressure switch at the compressor
is set for once a day, such as in low-temperature supermarket display can substitute for the wall-mounted thermostat.
cases. Staged fins in a row of coils, such as a 24-12-6 mm fin spac- Electronic controls have made electromechanical controls obso-
ing combination, greatly reduce fin blockage by frost accumulation lete, except on very small unit installations. Microprocessor control-
(Ogawa et al. 1993). lers mounted at the compressor receive and process signals from
Even distribution of the refrigerant flow to each circuit of the coil one or more temperature diode sensors and/or pressure transducers.
is vital for maximizing cooler coil performance. Distributor assem- These signals are converted to coordinate precise control of the
blies are used for direct-expansion halocarbon refrigerants and occa- compressor and the suction, discharge, and liquid-line flow-control
sionally for large, medium-temperature ammonia units. Application valves. Defrost cycling, automatic callout for service, and remote site
requires that they be precisely sized. Distributor design and construc- operation checks are standard options on the typical type of micro-
tion material may vary by refrigerant type and application. Applica- processor controller used in refrigeration. For large warehouses and
tion information from the distributor manufacturer should be closely supermarkets, an electronically based energy management system
followed, particularly regarding orifice sizing and assembly mount- (EMS) can easily incorporate multicompressor systems into virtu-
ing orientation on the coil. ally any type of control system.
For liquid pumped recirculating systems, orifice disks are usu-
ally used in lieu of a distributor assembly. These disks are sized and
AIR MOVEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION
installed by the coil manufacturer. They fit in the inlet (supply)
header, at the connection spuds of each coil circuit. The specifying Air distribution is an important concern in refrigerated enclosure
engineer may require a down-feed distributor assembly, less any ori- design and location of unit coolers. The direction of the air and air
fice, if significant flash gas is anticipated. throw should be such that air moves where there is a heat gain. This
Headers and their piping connections are part of the coil assem- principle implies that the air sweeps the enclosure walls and ceiling
bly. Usually, header lengths equal the coil height dimension; there- as well as to the product. Nearly all unit coolers are ceiling-mounted
fore each header is sized to the coil capacity for the application, and should be placed (1) so they do not discharge air at any doors or
based on refrigerant flow velocities and not on the temperature openings, (2) away from doors that do not incorporate an entrance
equivalent of the saturated suction temperature drop. Velocities of vestibule or pass to another refrigerated enclosure to keep from
approximately 7.5 m/s are used to compute the size of the return gas inducing additional infiltration into the enclosure, and (3) away from
header and its connection size. In the field, connection size is often the airstream of another unit to avoid defrosting difficulties.
mistaken to be the recommended return line size, but the size of The velocity and relative humidity of air passing over an exposed
lines installed in the field should be based on the suction drop cal- product affect that products surface drying and mass loss. Air veloc-
culation method (see Chapters 1 to 4). ities up to 2.5 m/s over the product are typical for most freezer appli-
cations. Higher velocities require additional fan power and, in many
Frost Control cases, only slightly decrease cooling time. For example, air velo-
Coils must be defrosted when frost accumulates on their sur- cities over 2.5 m/s for freezing plastic-wrapped bread reduce freez-
faces. The frost (or ice) is usually greatest at the coils air entry ing time very little. However, increasing air velocity from 2.5 to
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14.4 2010 ASHRAE HandbookRefrigeration (SI)

5.0 m/s over unwrapped pizza reduces freezing time and product protection, most of these solutions must be neutralized or inhibited
exposure by almost half. This variation shows that product testing is (preferably by the chemical manufacturer) before being introduced
necessary to design the special enclosures intended for blast freezing into the system.
and/or automated food processing. Sample tests should yield the fol- The capacity rating for a brine coil depends on the thermal prop-
lowing information: ideal air temperature, air velocity, product mass erties of the brine (freeze point, thermal conductivity, viscosity, spe-
loss, and dwell time. With this information, the proper unit or prod- cific heat, density) and its flow rate in the coil. This rating is usually
uct coolers, as well as supporting refrigeration equipment and con- obtained by special request from the coil manufacturer. Generally,
trols, can be selected. coils handling a commercial inhibited glycol solution have about
11% less capacity at low temperatures and 14% less capacity at me-
UNIT RATINGS dium temperatures than comparable direct-expansion halocarbon
No industry standard exists for rating unit and product coolers. refrigerants. The glycol temperature must run about 5 K lower than
Part of the difficulty in developing a workable standard is the many the comparable saturated suction temperature of a comparable DX
variables encountered. Cooler coil performance and capacities coil to obtain the same capacity.
should be based on a fixed set of conditions, and they greatly depend
on (1) air velocity, (2) refrigerant velocity, (3) circuit configuration,
Frost Condition
(4) refrigerant blend glide, (5) temperature difference, (6) frost con- Frost accumulation on the coil and its defrosting are perhaps the
dition, and (7) superheating adjustment. The most significant items most indeterminate variables that affect the capacity of forced-air
are refrigerant flow rate, as related to refrigerant feed through the coolers. Ogawa et al. (1993) showed that a light frost accumulation
coil, and frost condition defrosting in low-temperature applications. slightly improves the heat transfer of the coil. Continuous accumu-
The following sections discuss a number of performance differ- lation has a varying result, depending on the airflow. Performance
ences relative to some of the available unit cooler variations. suffers when airflow through the coil is reduced because coil surface
frosting increases air-side static pressure (e.g., as in prop-fan unit
Refrigerant Velocity coolers). But if airflow through a frosting coil is maintained (e.g., a
variable-speed fan arrangement), frost reduces capacity somewhere
Licensed for single user. 2010 ASHRAE, Inc.

Depending on the commercially available refrigerant feed method

used, both the coolers capacity ratings and its refrigerant flow rates between 2 to 10% (Kondepudi and ONeal 1990; Rite and Crawford
vary. The following feed methods are used: 1991). Thermal resistance of the frost (ice) varies with time and tem-
perature, and ice pack growth is a product of operating at a surface
Dry Expansion. In this system, a thermostatically controlled, temperature below the air dew point. Ultimately, defrosting is the
direct-expansion valve allows just enough liquid refrigerant into only way to return to rated performance. This is usually initiated
the cooling coil to ensure that it vaporizes at the outlet. In addition, when unit performance drops to 75 to 80% of rated.
5 to 15% of the coil surface is used to superheat the vapor. Direct-
Controlled lab tests also showed that frost growth on a finned
expansion (DX) coil flow rates are usually the lowest of all the feed
surface is not uniform with coil depth. Fin spacing is by far the big-
methods.
gest factor in restricting airflow through the coil. For DX coils, the
Recirculated Refrigerant. This system is similar to a dry ex- location of the superheat region in the coil had the most effect on
pansion feed except it includes a recirculated refrigerant drum (i.e., uniformity. Oskarsson et al. (1990) discussed the effect of the length
a low-pressure receiver) and a liquid refrigerant pump connected to of time of frosting on uniformity. The industry generally considers
the coil. It also has a hand expansion valve, which is the metering that ice formation is uniform through a coil with a wide fin spacing
device used to control the flow of the entering liquid refrigerant. The (i.e., >5 mm.). This spacing is used to determine an interfin free-air
coil is intentionally overfed liquid refrigerant by the pump, such that area to estimate the air static pressure drop through a coil operating
complete coil flooding eliminates superheating of the refrigerant in under frosting conditions.
the evaporator. The amount of liquid refrigerant pumped through
the coil may be two to six times greater (overfeed: 1 to 5) than that Defrosting
passed through a dry DX coil. As a result, this coils capacity is
higher than that of a dry expansion feed. To accurately calculate The defrost cycle may be initiated and terminated in a number of
rated capacity, supply refrigerant temperature and pressure for the ways. Microprocessor control, which has largely replaced the me-
operating evaporator temperature should be provided by the air chanical time clock, has reduced energy use and helped to maintain
coolers manufacturer (see Chapter 4 for further information). product quality (by reducing temperature rise in the enclosure dur-
Flooded. This system has a liquid reservoir (surge drum or accu- ing defrost). Accurate, short-time defrosting is now a health-safety
mulator) located next to each unit or set of units. The surge drum is concern. Too long a defrost cycle can result in an unacceptable prod-
filled with subcooled refrigerant and connected to the cooler coil. To uct core temperature rise. These conditions are vigorously moni-
ensure gravity flow of the refrigerant and a completely wet internal tored by most local and state health departments. In addition, proper
coil surface, the liquid level in the surge drum must be equal to the defrost initiation and termination are needed. Accurate defrosting
top of the coil. Gravity-recirculated feed capacity is usually the also provides better protection for the refrigeration equipment. Im-
highest attainable, in part because large coil tubes (25 mm OD) are proper and/or incomplete defrosting can damage the compressor
required so that virtually no evaporator pressure drop exists. In and evaporator coil, to the extent that irreparable refrigerant leaks
flooded gravity systems, the relative position of the surge drum to develop when ice is allowed to build up and crush one or more of the
the air cooler, as well as their interconnecting piping and valves, are coil tubes. The following defrosting methods are in use.
all important for proper operation. The intended location of these For Enclosure Air Temperature Above 2C. Enclosure air that
components and valves should be provided by the manufacturer. is 2C or slightly warmer can be used to defrost a cooler coil. Fans
Brine. In this chapter, brine encompasses any liquid or solu- are left on and defrosting occurs during compressor off cycles.
tion that absorbs heat in the coil without a change in state; these However, some moisture on the coil surface evaporates, which is
fluids are also called secondary refrigerants. Aqueous glycols, undesirable for a low-humidity application. The following methods
ethylene, and propylene are well accepted and thus most often used. of control are commonly used:
Food-grade propylene glycol should be used in food-processing
applications. Calcium chloride or sodium chloride in water (for If the refrigeration cycle is interrupted by a defrost timer, the
extra-low-temperature applications) and R-30 can be used only continually circulating air melts the coil frost and ice. The timer
under tightly controlled and monitored conditions. For corrosion can operate either the compressor or a liquid-line solenoid valve.
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Forced-Circulation Air Coolers 14.5

An oversized unit cooler controlled by a wall thermostat defrosts products. This application typically has a large reservoir of warm
during its normal off/on cycling. The thermostat can control a condenser water provided by heat reclaim from the water-cooled
refrigeration solenoid in a multiple-coil system or the compressor condenser.
in a unitary installation. Note: An oversized unit is sized to handle Hot brine can be used to defrost brine-cooled coils by remotely
a 24 h cooling load in 16 h. heating the brine for the defrost cycle. This system heats from
A pressure control can be used for slightly oversized unitary within the coil and is as rapid as hot-gas defrost. The heat source
equipment. A low-pressure switch connected to the compressor can be steam, electric resistance elements, or condenser water.
suction line is set at a cut-out point such that the design suction
pressure corresponds to the saturated temperature required to Defrost Control. For the most part, defrosting is done with the
handle the maximum enclosure load. The suction pressure at the fan turned off. Inadequate defrost time and over-defrosting both can
compressor drops and causes the compressor motor to stop as the degrade overall performance; thus, a defrost cycle is best ended by
enclosure load fluctuates, or as the oversized compressor over- monitoring temperature. A thermostat may be mounted in the cooler
comes the maximum loading. coil to sense a rise in the temperature of the finned or tube surface.
A temperature of at least 7C indicates frost removal and automat-
The thermostatic expansion valve on the unit cooler controls
ically returns the unit to the cooling cycle.
evaporator temperature by regulating its liquid refrigerant flow,
Fan operation is delayed, usually by the same thermostat, until
which varies with the load. The cut-in point, which restarts the com-
coil surface temperature approaches its normal operating level. This
pressor motor, should be set at the suction pressure that corresponds
practice prevents unnecessary heating of the enclosure after defrost.
to the equivalent saturated temperature of the desired refrigerated
It also prevents drops of defrost water from being blown off the coil
enclosure air temperature. The pressure differential between the
surface, which avoids icing of the fan blade, guard, and orifice ring.
cut-in and cutout points corresponds to the temperature difference
In some applications, fan delay after defrost is essential to prevent a
between the enclosure air and coil. Pressure settings should allow
rapid buildup of ambient air pressure, which could structurally dam-
for the pressure drop in the suction line.
age the enclosure.
For Enclosure Air Temperature Below 2C. When enclosure Defrost initiation can be automated by time clocks, running time
Licensed for single user. 2010 ASHRAE, Inc.

air is below 2C, supplementary heat must be introduced into the monitors, or air-pressure-differential controls, or by monitoring the
enclosure to defrost the coil surface and drain pan. Unfortunately, air temperature difference through the coil (which increases as
some of this defrost heat remains in the enclosure until the unit starts frost accumulation reduces the airflow). Adequate supplementary
operation after completion of the defrost cycle. The following sup- heat for the drain pan and condensate drain lines should be consid-
plemental heat sources are used for defrosting: ered. It is not uncommon for two methods to run simultaneously
(e.g., hot-gas and electric) to simplify drain pan defrosting and
Gas defrosting can be the fastest and most efficient method if an
shorten the defrost cycle. Drain lines should be properly pitched,
adequate supply of hot gas is available. Besides performing the
insulated, and trapped outside the freezer, preferably when travers-
defrost function, hot refrigerant discharge gas internally clears the
ing a warm area.
coil and drain pan tube assembly of accumulated compressor oil.
This aids in returning the oil to the compressor. Gas defrosting is Basic Cooling Capacity
used for small, commercial single and multiplex units, as well as
Most rating tables state gross capacity and assume fan assembly
for large, industrial central plants; it is broadly used on most low-
or defrost heat is included in enclosure load calculation. Some man-
temperature applications. Hot-gas defrosting also increases the
ufacturers cooler coil ratings may appear as sensible capacity; oth-
capacity of a large, continuously operating compressor system
ers may be listed as total capacity, which includes both sensible and
because it removes some of the load from the condenser as it alter-
latent capacities. Some ratings include reduction factors to account
nately defrosts the multiple evaporators. This method of defrost
for frost accumulation in low-temperature applications or for some
puts the least amount of heat into the enclosure ambient. A further
unusual condition. Others include capacity multiplier factors for
improvement on hot-gas defrosting is using latent gas (sometimes
various refrigerants.
called cool gas) from the top part of the receiver.
The published rating, defined as the basic cooling capacity, is
Electric defrost effectiveness depends on the location of the elec-
based on the temperature difference (TD) between inlet air and re-
tric heating elements. The elements can be either attached to the
frigerant in the coil (watt per degree TD). The coil inlet air temper-
finned coil surface or inserted inside special fin holes or dummy
ature is considered to be the same as the enclosure air temperature,
tubes in the coil element. Electric defrost can be efficient and
and the refrigerant temperature is assumed to be the temperature
rapid. It is simple to operate and maintain, but it dissipates the
equivalent to the saturated pressure at the coil outlet. This practice
most heat into the enclosure, and, depending on energy costs, may
is common for both cooler and freezer enclosure (unit coolers) ap-
not be as economical to operate as gas defrosting.
plications. For heavy-duty use (e.g., for a blast freezer or process
Heated air may be circulated in a loop within freezer units that
conveyor work), manufacturers ratings may be based somewhat
are constructed so as to isolate the frosted coil from the cold
differently, such as on the average of the coil inlet-to-outlet air tem-
enclosure air. This is mostly done in packaged units, with damp-
peratures considered as the enclosure temperature.
ers used to isolate the cooling coil. Once the coil is isolated, the
The TD necessary to obtain the unit cooler capacity varies with
units airflow is heated by a hot-gas reheat coil or electric heating
the application. It may be as low as 4.5 K for wet storage coolers and
elements. Heated air circulates in the unit to perform the defrost,
as high as 14 K for gut storage and workrooms. TD can be related to
and also must heat a drain pan, which is needed in all enclosures
the desired humidity requirements. The smaller the TD, the less
at temperatures of 1C or less. Some units have specially con-
dehumidification from coil operation. The following is general guid-
structed housings and ducting to draw warm air from adjoining
ance for selecting a proper TD for medium-temperature applications
areas.
above 4C saturated suction:
Water defrost is the quickest method of defrosting a unit. It is
efficient and effective for rapid cleaning of the complete coil sur- For very high relative humidity (about 90%), a TD of 4 to 5 K is
face. Water defrost can be performed manually or on an auto- common.
matic timed cycle. This method becomes less desirable as the For high relative humidity (approximately 80%), a TD of 6 to 7 K
enclosure temperature decreases much below freezing, but it has is recommended.
been successfully used in applications as low as 40C. Water For medium relative humidity (approximately 75%), a TD of 7 to
defrost is used more for large units used for cooling industrial 9 K is recommended.
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14.6 2010 ASHRAE HandbookRefrigeration (SI)

Temperature differences above these limits usually result in low MORE INFORMATION
enclosure humidities, which dry the product. However, for pack-
Additional information on the selection, ratings, installation, and
aged products and workrooms, a TD of 14 to 16 K is not unusual.
maintenance of cooler units is available from the manufacturers of
Paper storage or similar products also require a low humidity level,
that type of equipment. Chapters 19 to 23 and 28 to 42 of this vol-
and a TD of 11 to 16 K may be necessary.
ume have specific product cooling information.
For low-temperature applications below 4C saturated suction,
the TD is generally kept below 8 K because of system economics
and frequency of defrosting rather than for humidity control. REFERENCES
Refer to ASHRAE Standard 25 for unit cooler testing methods AHRI. 2008. Performance rating of forced-circulation free-delivery unit
and to AHRI Standard 420 for unit cooler rating procedures. It is coolers for refrigeration. Standard 420. Air Conditioning, Heating, and
advisable that the specifying engineer check the individual manu- Refrigeration Institute, Arlington, VA.
facturers literature for all such rating factors. ASHRAE. 2006. Method of testing forced and natural convection air coolers
for refrigeration. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 25-2001 (RA 2006).
INSTALLATION AND OPERATION Kondepudi, S.N. and D.L. ONeal. 1990. The effect of different fin config-
urations on the performance of finned-tube heat exchangers under frost-
Whenever possible, refrigerating air-cooling units should be ing conditions. ASHRAE Transactions 96(2):439-444.
located away from enclosure entrance doors and passageways. This Ogawa, K., N. Tanaka, and M. Takashita. 1993. Performance improvement
practice helps reduce coil frost accumulation and fan blade icing. of plate fin-and-tube heat exchangers under frosting conditions.
The cooler manufacturers installation, start-up, and operation in- ASHRAE Transactions 99(1):762-771.
Oskarsson, S.P., K.I. Krakow, and S. Lin. 1990. Evaporator models for oper-
structions generally give the best information. On installation, the ation with dry, wet, and frosted finned surfacesPart II: Evaporator
unit nameplate data (model, refrigerant type, electrical data, warn- models and verification. ASHRAE Transactions 96(1):381-392.
ing notices, certification emblems, etc.) should be recorded and Rite, R.W. and R.R. Crawford. 1991. The effect of frost accumulation on the
compared to the job specifications and to the manufacturers in- performance of domestic refrigerator freezer finned-tube evaporator
structions for correctness. coils. ASHRAE Transactions 97(2):428-437.
Licensed for single user. 2010 ASHRAE, Inc.

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