COMPARING AIR COOLER RATINGS – PART 1:
Not All Rating Methods are Created Equal
Summary
Refrigeration air coolers (evaporators) are widely used to cool and circulate air in cold storage warehouses and food processing facilities. Manufacturers of air coolers publish cooling capacities based on differing assumptions and rating methods. It is important for refrigeration design professionals to understand these different rating methods and to apply them appropriately. In extreme cases, air coolers can be grossly undersized even though nominal catalog ratings appear to satisfy the calculated refrigeration load. The article illustrates the differences in these rating methods and highlights the importance of selecting air coolers using ratings suited to the operating conditions.