Low Charge Central

System (LCCS)
The Efficiency and Reliability of a Central Refrigeration System With
The Controlled Precision of Remote Distributed Condensing Units

S I N G L E S O U R C E I N D U S T R I A L R E F R I G E R AT I O N S O L U T I O N S
 FRICK® LCCS – The True
Low Charge Solution from
a Single Source
The reliable, high efficiency central refrigeration system with a total system
ammonia charge 85-95% less than traditional central ammonia systems.

The FRICK Low Charge Central System (LCCS)

enhances the operational efficiency and
reliability of a central refrigeration system by
adding the controlled precision of the FRICK
packaged remote distributed condensing
(RDC) units.

This innovative configuration reduces the total system

ammonia charge to as low as 1.5-3 lbm/TR, or
85-95% less than traditional central ammonia systems.
This enhances the safety of food and beverage plant
personnel and product, as well as people in the
vicinity of the plant. In addition, the low charge can,
in many cases, ease a facility’s regulatory burden and
compliance costs, as well as its insurance rates.

Best of all, a complete FRICK low charge solution

includes compressors, evaporators, condensers
and controls.

Top: A standard 50 TR RDC unit can be charged with 75 lbm

from an ammonia cylinder in as little as 15 minutes
Bottom: DX evaporators

2 LOW CHARGE CENTRAL SYSTEM

Remote Distributed Condensing –
Ingenuity at Work
The FRICK LCCS is a one-of-a-kind system thanks
to localized condensing made possible by RDC units SCALABLE AND
managed by a patent-pending FRICK control system.
By offering simplicity, flexibility and efficiency, RDC
FLEXIBLE – THE LCCS
technology makes projects scalable based on your
application needs.
IS SUITABLE FOR:
The RDC units allow for the elimination of centralized • New Projects
condensers, the high-pressure receiver and large, long
supply and return lines containing vast amounts of • Expansions
liquid refrigerant.
• Retrofits
• Cold storage warehouses
Advantages of the FRICK LCCS
• Significantly reduces ammonia charge
• Process facilities
• Lowest total cost of ownership of any low
charge system
• Minimal liquid in occupied space
• Eases regulatory compliance burden
• Likely to reduce insurance costs due to
significant reduction of liquid ammonia,
especially in the building
• Flexibility with single and/or two-stage,
economized, side loads
• Easy expansion capabilities
• Compression capacity redundancy
• Addresses water scarcity issues without
water treatment concerns, using adiabatic or
Remote Distributed Condensing (RDC) Model Nomenclature
air-cooled condensing
TR Adiabatic1 PFHE2 Dry3 Evaporative4
• Ease of system start-up after power disruption 20 RDC20A-(X)5 RDC20P-(X) RDC20D-(X) RDC20E-(X)
40 RDC40A-(X) RDC40P-(X) RDC40D-(X) RDC40E-(X)
• Multiple heat recovery possibilities 60 RDC60A-(X) RDC60P-(X) RDC60D-(X) RDC60E-(X)
80 RDC80A-(X) RDC80P-(X) RDC80D-(X) RDC80E-(X)
• Compressor wiring, maintenance and oil cooling 100 RDC100A-(X) RDC100P-(X) RDC100D-(X) RDC100E-(X)
are in the engine room 120 RDC120A-(X) RDC120P-(X) RDC120D-(X) RDC120E-(X)
1. Adiabatic condensing: Based on 98°F condensing, 95°F dry bulb and 78°F wet bulb temperatures.
• Retains familiar industry components 2. Plate frame heat exchanger condensing: Based on 98°F condensing with 85°F to 95°F
propylene glycol (30%).
3. Dry condensing: Based on 110°F condensing and 95°F dry bulb temperatures.
• FRICK Factor customization, installation and service 4. Evaporative condensing: Based on 95°F condensing, 95°F dry bulb and 78°F wet bulb temperatures.
5. Substitute the suction temperature (+35/+20/0/-20) in °F, for the X in parentheses.

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 Extremely Flexible in Design
and Installation
• No heavy rooftop package
1 Remote Distributed Condensing
(RDC) Units • All major components
• Standard 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 TR per RDC unit and routine maintenance
• Flexible condensing options include adiabatic, plate and items are easily accessible
frame, air cooled, and evaporative (adiabatic and plate
and frame shown) • No confined space
• Multiple RDC units work seamlessly together via FRICK concerns
control logic (patent pending)
• FRICK 24V panel – no arc flash concerns
• Factory-wired package for easy installation

2 Evaporators 1
3
• Low charge direct expansion feed
• Defrost – air or hot gas 1
2
• Automatic safety system
for leak protection
• Defrost condensate returns
to RDC unit

3 Hygienic Unit 4
• Low refrigerant charge DX coil(s)
• Self-contained refrigerant leak detector
• Minimal risk of refrigerant exposure

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4 Controls
• Patent-pending automatic refrigerant management
between multiple RDC units minimizes charge
• Control of balanced energy and water usage
delivers lower operating cost LCCS in the Engine Room
• Reduces size by approximately 50%
5 Compressors • Removes all liquid vessels
• Ease of service • Removes all liquid piping
• Compressor redundancy or swing • Removes all water treatment equipment
• Larger compressors increase efficiency (adiabatic or air-cooled condensing)
• Flexibility – single-stage, two-stage, economized • Recovers heat for underfloor warming

4 LOW CHARGE CENTRAL SYSTEM

Low Charge Central System Circuits

RDC
Single-Stage Low Charge Solution
25°
One or more compressors piped
with three (3) dry vapor mains serve LSV RDC
COND.
multiple evaporator loads at differ- 95°
25°
ing suction conditions. 25°

No liquid refrigerant is in the EVAP. COND.

LSV
EVAP. 60°
engine room. -20° -20° 95°

Economizer Vapor EVAP. EVAP.

+25° +25°
Compressor Discharge Line
Subcooled Liquid
Suction Line

-35° Blast Freezer

25°
-10° Freezer
LSV 25°
COND. 25°
95°
LSV
COND. 25°
95° +35° Dock
EVAP. EVAP. 60°
-45° -45°
LSV
EVAP. EVAP. COND. 60°
-20° -20° 95°

95° EVAP. EVAP.

+25° +25°
-45°
25°
95° 25°

60°
-20°
95°
Two-Stage Low Charge Solution

25° Booster and high stage compressors with five (5)

dry vapor mains serve multiple evaporator loads
at differing suction conditions.

No liquid refrigerant is in the engine room.

Ideal for blast freezing.

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 System Operation –
RDC and Evaporators
Normal Operation
-10° Freezer
In normal operation, the discharge
25°
vapor is condensed very close to
the evaporators and then fed into M LSV
COND. 25°
the liquid supply vessel. 95°

The supply vessel feeds the

Subcooler
condensed liquid to two or three
evaporators.
Electronic expansion valves on
each evaporator function so that
only dry vapor is returned to the
compressors.

S
Evaporated ammonia (100% vapor)
EVAP. EVAP.
returns to compressor suction line. -20° -20°

All liquid is contained between the

RDC units and the evaporators. -10° Freezer

25°

M LSV
COND. 25°
Defrost Operation 95° -10° Freezer

During defrost, hot gas is directed

25°
away from the condenser and fed
into one of the evaporators.
S

M LSV
COND. 25°
S

M M
95°
The hot gas is condensed and fed
into the liquid supply vessel.
Subcooler
The beneficial liquid makeup is
added to the existing liquid ballast
feeding the other evaporator.

Evaporated ammonia
A - EVAP.(100% vapor) B - EVAP.
M
M

returns to compressor
-20° suction line. -20°
S

All liquid is contained between the

EVAP. EVAP.
RDC units and the evaporators. -20° -20°

Condensate Return

6 LOW CHARGE CENTRAL SYSTEM

FRICK – Committed to Cold for
Over 135 Years
We deliver innovative products that help the
world run smoothly, smartly, simply and safely.

FRICK is the leader in

industrial refrigeration.
Through our unrivaled expertise, developed and honed over
nearly a century and a half, we provide world-class refrigeration
technology that is reliably cold.

We relentlessly pursue and achieve superior-quality products so you can confidently focus
on your core businesses.

We offer a full line of equipment for food and beverage applications including low charge
systems, rotary screw compressor packages, condensers, evaporators, heat exchangers,
hygienic air handlers, controls, vessels and replacement parts for these products.

And we work with an elite set of sales and installation partners – our FRICK Factors – whose
dedication to your absolute satisfaction contributes to our successful products, processes
and services.

Specify FRICK solutions. Find the FRICK Factors nearest you at www.frickcold.com.

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We promise
to go further.
S I N G L E S O U R C E I N D U S T R I A L R E F R I G E R AT I O N S O L U T I O N S

World-Class Solutions Reliably Cold Unrivaled Expertise

FRICK creates confident cus- FRICK is synonymous with refrigeration FRICK offers quality that is
tomer experiences with our — we have generations of experience unrivaled in the industry.
best-in-class solutions. building refrigeration solutions.

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JOHNSON CONTROLS
100 Cumberland Valley Avenue • Waynesboro, PA 17268 USA
717-762-2121 • www.frickcold.com

Form 020.200-SG1 (2019-02)

Supersedes: 020.200-SG1 (2017-06) • Subject to change without notice • Published in USA • 02/19 • PDF

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