Refrigerated spaces held at temperatures below 32° F (0° C) must have an underfloor heating system installed to prevent freezing of the soil with subsequent damage to the floor and building. In cold climates where wintertime air temperatures fall below about 45° F (8° C) underfloor heating is typically accomplished by circulating glycol in a piping loop buried beneath the floor insulation. The glycol can be heated in a number of ways. It can be heated actively with an electric or gas boiler, with condenser heat from the refrigeration system, or with another source of waste heat.
One source of waste heat that can be applied to underfloor heating can be found in the refrigeration engine room where heat from compressor bodies and motors, along with heat from motor control panels can be captured using a Colmac A+Series™ liquid-to-air glycol cooler. The A+Series™ glycol air cooler is installed in the engine room where it absorbs the waste heat from the air and deposits it in the glycol piped to the underfloor heating loop.
Benefits
Using a Colmac A+Series™ liquid-to-air cooler in a refrigeration engine room effectively and simultaneously air-conditions the engine room air while providing "free" heat to the underfloor heating system. In many cases, enough heat is added to the glycol underfloor heating loop that the active glycol heating system is not needed.
Selection
Contact your local Colmac Coil sales representative for more information on how to properly select Colmac glycol engine room coolers for your next industrial refrigeration project.