Cold Storage Condensing Units: Cooling Capacity Table

2026-08-07 | Technical field: Refrigeration systems | Application: Cold storage engineering, trade product matching

In the trade product line, cold storage condensing units are among the categories customers ask about most. Customers often only provide a storage capacity and storage temperature, such as "30-ton cold storage, 0–5°C", leaving the selection work to us. This note uses condensing unit data (LZ series, 18 models, 562 specifications) to explain the selection logic clearly.

1. How the Product Series Are Divided

Condensing units are divided into three series by heat dissipation method and compressor type:

Air-cooled fixed-speed is the main shipment volume, covering the full temperature range from -35°C to +20°C. The advantages of water cooling are that it does not occupy outdoor floor space and has low noise, making it suitable for indoor machine rooms in food factories. The inverter series is suitable for applications with large temperature fluctuations and requiring precise temperature control, such as pharmaceutical cold storage.

2. How to Read the Cooling Capacity Reference Table

In the unit data, each model is provided with a cooling capacity reference table, with 9 evaporating temperature points corresponding to 9 cooling capacity values. Take LZAC-12 as an example:

Two rules to remember:

1. The higher the evaporating temperature, the greater the cooling capacity. For the same unit, when the evaporating temperature rises from -20°C to 20°C, the cooling capacity increases more than threefold. Therefore, "how many kilowatts is this unit" must be stated with the evaporating temperature condition; otherwise it is meaningless.
2. Single EEV and dual EEV are configured for different temperature ranges. Single EEV covers medium- and high-temperature cold storage (above -20°C), while dual EEV covers low-temperature deep freezing (from -35°C). During selection, first determine the storage temperature, then determine which column of data to use.

3. Four Steps for Selection

Step 1: Determine the storage temperature. Before the customer reports the storage capacity, first confirm what goods are stored and what temperature is required. Fresh-keeping cold storage: 0–5°C; freezer storage: -18°C; deep-freeze storage: below -30°C.

Step 2: Calculate the heat load. Cold storage heat load ≈ enclosure heat leakage + product heat + door-opening air exchange heat + equipment heat dissipation. For small cold rooms, the load can be estimated by storage capacity; for large cold rooms, it is recommended to calculate it item by item. For a small fresh-keeping cold room with a capacity of 100 m³, the typical load is 3–5 kW.

Step 3: Select the unit. Use "storage temperature +5–8°C" to estimate the evaporating temperature, find the corresponding cooling capacity in the reference table, and select a model with cooling capacity ≥ heat load × 1.1–1.2. For example, for a fresh-keeping cold room at 0°C, look up the table at an evaporating temperature of -10°C; LZAC-12 at -10°C with single EEV is 7550 W, which can cover a load of about 5 kW.

Step 4: Match the air cooler. In the data, each unit is matched with a corresponding air cooler model (e.g., LZAE-4002-25); air volume, motor power, and defrost method are all specified. Match directly according to the table; do not mix and match.

4. How to Select Refrigerant

For export orders, ask clearly in advance about the destination country's refrigerant policy. The EU F-gas regulation imposes increasingly strict restrictions on high-GWP refrigerants such as R404A; for new systems after 2026, recommend R410A or R448A/R449A alternatives as much as possible.

5. Coordination with Vacuum Precooling/Rapid Cooling Machines

This is directly relevant to our business:Precooling machines and rapid cooling machines solve "rapid cooling"; cold storage solves "stable storage", the two are sequential processes.

• After fruits and vegetables are precooled to 2°C, they enter fresh-keeping storage; the cold storage only needs to maintain temperature, so the load is small and the unit can be one size smaller;
• Cooked foods are rapidly cooled to a core temperature below 10°C before entering freezer storage, avoiding a large heat load impacting the cold storage unit;
• When preparing a solution for customers, the precooling machine + cold storage condensing unit can be quoted as a package. Trade products and self-manufactured equipment work together, increasing average order value, and customers do not need to find a second supplier.

6. Key Points Summary

1. Cooling capacity must be accompanied by the evaporating temperature condition; look up the reference table according to "storage temperature +5–8°C";
2. Single EEV handles medium- and high-temperature, dual EEV handles deep freezing; first determine the temperature range during selection;
3. Match units and air coolers according to the manufacturer's matching table; do not mix and match;
4. For export orders, ask about refrigerant policy first; avoid high-GWP refrigerants in European and American markets;
5. Cold storage units and vacuum precooling/rapid cooling machines are complementary; quote packaged solutions.

Knowledge tags: Technical field: Refrigeration systems | Equipment/Process: Cold storage condensing units, electronic expansion valves, air coolers | Applicable industries: Food processing, cold chain logistics, fruit and vegetable preservation | Keywords: condensing unit selection, LZAC, R410A, R404A, evaporating temperature, cold storage matching