10/26/22, 5:48 PM 4 Types of Refrigeration Systems

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4 Types of Refrigeration Systems

 AUG 03, 2020 WRITTEN BY: THE CAFCO TEAM (HTTPS://WWW.CAFCOSERVICES.COM/BLOG/AUTHOR/CAFCOTEAM/)

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Any provider of refrigeration equipment services
(https://www.cafcoservices.com/commercial/refrigeration/) understands that air conditioning equipment
doesn’t actually produce cool air. Instead, it removes heat from the area it “cools”. This is how refrigeration
works.

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10/26/22, 5:48 PM 4 Types of Refrigeration Systems

Here are the different types of refrigeration systems:

Evaporative Cooling
Evaporative cooling units are also referred to as swamp coolers. They work by blowing warm outdoor air
over pads that are soaked in water. The water’s job is to absorb the heat from the air. The water then
evaporates and cooler air enters your home while warm air stays out.

An evaporative cooling unit is capable of reducing the temperature in a home by about 15-40 degrees. If
you’re in the southwestern U.S. where the climate is dry, evaporative coolers are for you. An evaporative
cooling unit is easier to install and doesn’t cost half as much as a central air conditioner.

Mechanical-Compression Refrigeration
Systems
Mechanical compression is used in commercial and industrial refrigeration, as well as air conditioning.
Most HVAC companies (https://www.cafcoservices.com/) install this type of cooling system.

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10/26/22, 5:48 PM 4 Types of Refrigeration Systems

By mechanically compressing refrigerant into a cold liquid with low pressure and expanding it into hot gas
with high pressure, this type of system transfers heat. Refrigerants work when pressure is applied or
removed. When they absorb heat, they boil and turn into gas, then turn back into liquid form when they
release that heat. The refrigerant in a mechanical-compression system boils at 40 degrees, sucking the
heat out of warm indoor air.

Absorption
The process in absorption refrigeration is similar to how heat is transferred in mechanical compression.
However, instead of using a mechanical compressor, absorption systems use refrigerants that attract and
absorb other substances. In some systems, for example, ammonia acts as the refrigerant and water acts
as the absorbent. Instead of relying on electric power, heat can come from water, natural gas, steam or
other fuel sources.

Thermoelectric
These systems don’t need water or any type of refrigerant. They rely on a thermocouple and electric
current. One end of the thermocouple is hot and the other end is cool when current is directed to it. The
cold side of the thermocouple is placed in the area that needs cooled so it can attract heat and remove it
from the air. Thermoelectric refrigeration isn’t usually used for large cooling loads, but it’s perfect for hard-
to-access small cooling loads. A good example would be electronic systems.

If you have cooling and refrigeration needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Cafco Services. We install
cooling systems and also offer HVAC filter products (https://www.cafcoservices.com/filters/). Call us
today at (513) 653-7446 or use our contact form (https://www.cafcoservices.com/contact/).

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