Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Refrigeration
Air Cooler
Rating Methods
By Bruce I. Nelson, P.E., Member ASHRAE user whose undersized air coolers cause
lower-than-expected operating suction
R
efrigeration air coolers (evaporators) are widely used to cool and circulate temperatures with associated increased
energy consumption and loss of refrig-
air in cold storage warehouses and food processing facilities. Manufactur- erating capacity.
ers of air coolers publish cooling capacities based on differing assumptions and Air Temperature Change
As air passes across the fins of an evap-
rating methods.1 In Europe, a number of manufacturers of commercial air coolers orator coil, the temperature is reduced
according to the following relationship:4
(i.e., coolers designed for use with R-404a/R-507) subscribe to the Eurovent
q = m C p (Tent Tlvg ) (1)
certification program based on the European test standard EN 328.2 However,
In a room refrigerated by air cooling
no manufacturer is certified for industrial air coolers (i.e., coolers designed for evaporators, the change in air tempera-
ture (reduction) as it passes through the
use with ammonia refrigerant). evaporator coils will equal the change in
air temperature (increase) as it circulates
The U.S. has performance standard though nominal catalog ratings appear to throughout the room. Meaning that in a
AHRI-420,3 but as of yet, no manufactur- satisfy the calculated refrigeration load. well-designed cold room, the air tempera-
ers participate in a certification program The smaller size and lower first cost of ture gradient found in the room is roughly
based on this standard. Therefore, it is air coolers, which are inadvertently un- equal to, and will be determined in large
important for refrigeration design pro- dersized due to misunderstood or misap- part by, the air temperature change in
fessionals to understand the different plied ratings, are seductively attractive to
rating methods being used and to apply contractors and end users. However, the About the Author
them appropriately. In extreme cases, air price difference ultimately will be more Bruce I. Nelson, P.E., is president of Colmac Coil
coolers can be grossly undersized even than paid for by the unsuspecting end Manufacturing in Colville, Wash.
Temperature (F)
on temperature), F (C) 12
Tlvg = dry-bulb air temperature leaving the coil, F (C)
e = effectiveness = (TentTlvg)/(TentTevap) 14
DT1 = DTM = 10F
Tevap = average refrigerant evaporating temperature, F
(C) 16
q DTM = capacity at mean (room) temperature difference, DT1 Air Temperature
Btu/h (kW) DTM Air Temperature
18 p Tevap Air Temperature
q DT1 = capacity at initial (air on) temperature difference,
Btu/h (kW)
20
DT1 = initial temperature difference=air on tem-
perature evaporating temperature, F (C) Figure 1: DT1 versus DTM air temperatures.
DTM = mean (room) temperature difference=average
room temperature evaporating temperature, refrigeration air cooler has a rating of 10 TR at a DT1 of 10F
F (C) (12C). The capacity of the same cooler operating with a new
r = air density, lbm/ft3 (kg/m3) DT1 of 12F (11) will be very close to 1012/10 = 101.2
V = actual volumetric airflow rate, ft3/min (m3/h) = 12 tons (42 kW).