How to Choose a Cold Room Refrigeration Unit

Why is correct refrigeration unit selection important?

The refrigeration unit removes heat from the cold room and maintains the required operating temperature. Choosing the right capacity is therefore essential for reliable temperature control and efficient operation.

Room size is important, but it should not be the only factor used to select refrigeration equipment. Two cold rooms with identical dimensions can have very different cooling requirements depending on their application and operating conditions.

What determines the refrigeration capacity?

The cooling requirement of a cold room can be affected by several factors:

• Room length, width and height
• Required operating temperature
• Ambient temperature
• Panel insulation and thickness
• Chiller or freezer application
• Door size and frequency of opening
• Type and quantity of products stored
• Temperature of products entering the room
• Lighting, people and other internal heat sources

These factors contribute to the total refrigeration load.

Chiller vs freezer refrigeration

Chiller and freezer rooms operate under different conditions.

A chiller room normally maintains products at refrigerated temperatures above freezing. A freezer room operates below freezing and typically has a much greater temperature difference between the room and its surroundings.

The refrigeration equipment must therefore be selected for the required operating temperature as well as the calculated cooling load.

Why does product load matter?

One of the most important factors is what enters the cold room.

Maintaining products that are already chilled requires considerably less cooling than bringing large quantities of warm product down to the required storage temperature.

When selecting equipment, consider:

• What products will be stored?
• How much product enters the room each day?
• What is its entering temperature?
• What final temperature is required?
• How quickly must it reach that temperature?

A cold room used mainly for storage can therefore have different requirements from a room used to cool incoming products.

How do door openings affect cooling demand?

Opening a cold room door allows warmer external air to enter the refrigerated space.

A room accessed occasionally will have different requirements from a busy commercial cold room where staff, trolleys or products move through the door throughout the day.

Door dimensions, opening frequency and the surrounding temperature should therefore be considered when calculating refrigeration requirements.

Why are insulation and panels important?

The refrigeration system and the insulated enclosure work together.

Heat entering through the walls, ceiling, floor, joints and door ultimately has to be removed by the refrigeration system.

Correctly specified insulation can reduce heat gain and help the refrigeration equipment maintain the required temperature efficiently.

This is why panels, doors and refrigeration equipment should be selected as parts of the same cold room system.

What is a split refrigeration system?

Many commercial cold rooms use a split system consisting of an evaporator inside the cold room and a condensing unit located outside the refrigerated space.

The evaporator absorbs heat from inside the room, while the refrigeration system transfers that heat to the condensing unit where it is rejected.

The equipment must be matched to the required temperature, cooling capacity and installation conditions.

What information should I provide for equipment selection?

When requesting a quotation or refrigeration unit selection, provide:

• Internal room dimensions: length × width × height
• Required room temperature
• Chiller or freezer application
• Ambient temperature
• Panel thickness
• Door dimensions
• Approximate door usage
• Product type and quantity
• Product entering temperature
• Required cooling time
• Installation location

If some details are unknown, provide as much project information as possible rather than selecting a unit based only on room volume.

Cold room refrigeration equipment from MES Cooling

MES Cooling supplies refrigeration equipment for commercial chiller and freezer rooms across the UK.

Refrigeration equipment can be supplied alongside insulated panels, hinged and sliding cold room doors, temperature controllers and other components for complete cold room projects.

For equipment selection and pricing, send us your room dimensions, required temperature and project details.