Every cold room we build has a built-in compressor that does the bulk of the work. The compressor is part of a system that also includes a liquid/gas refrigerant and a heat exchanger. The entire system is sealed and under high pressure. The cooling cycle begins with the refrigerant, as a gas, moving through the compressor where it is constricted (compressed) considerably, thus raising its temperature and pressure. This hot gas then leaves the compressor and starts flowing through the line into the interior spaces of the cold room. That’s when the magic happens.

Hot gas coming in contact with the cooler temperatures of the line inside the cold room causes the gas to quickly contract and liquefy. Still under high pressure, the liquid refrigerant flows through the line and absorbs heat from the interior space, gradually getting warmer as it makes its way through the loop. The warming refrigerant eventually flows through a heat exchanger, a device that removes the heat before sending the refrigerant back to the compressor. The compressor then compresses the refrigerant and starts the whole cycle again.

Compressors do most of the work in keeping our cold rooms cold. But they cannot do it all alone. In order to minimize the amount of work they have to do and keep the temperature inside consistent, we use a special type of insulating material to line the walls of the cold rooms. The insulating material is a poor conductor of heat. As such, it helps to keep cold exterior spaces cold regardless of how warm it is outside.

The heat from exterior spaces will simply not carry through the insulation well enough to have a serious impact on interior temperatures. Maintaining consistent temperatures is also crucial in preventing condensation which can form on the inside of the unit which could lead to ice formation and even mold growth. Now you know how a cold room keeps things cold. If you are in need of a cold room give us a call.