Evaporator and Unit Cooler Selection
Evaporator and unit cooler selection services in Kenya by Refitec Kenya. Correctly sized evaporators for cold rooms and freezers, matched to load, airflow, and defrost needs. Call +254 704 843 613.
Unit coolers are among the most frequently misapplied components in Kenyan cold room projects, often selected by price rather than by duty, fin spacing, airflow throw, and defrost strategy. The result is iced coils, warm corners, and overworked compressors in otherwise well-built rooms. Refitec Kenya applies disciplined selection engineering to every evaporator we supply or replace, and our technicians correct the underlying selection errors we find in existing plants, restoring performance without unnecessary equipment replacement wherever possible.
Evaporator and Unit Cooler Selection by Refitec Kenya
The evaporator, also known as the unit cooler, is the component that actually removes heat from the air inside a cold room. While the condensing unit generates the refrigeration capacity, the evaporator determines how effectively that capacity is delivered into the room. An evaporator that is too small will ice up and fail to hold temperature; one that is too large will produce short, inefficient cycles and poor humidity control. Refitec Kenya provides professional evaporator and unit cooler selection for new installations and system upgrades in Nairobi and across Kenya.
The Factors That Guide Correct Selection
Our engineers consider several technical factors when selecting a unit cooler. First is the refrigeration duty at the design evaporating temperature, which must match the condensing unit. Second is the temperature difference, known as the TD, between the air and the refrigerant: a small TD gives higher humidity for fresh produce, while a larger TD gives drier air suitable for packaged and frozen goods. Third is the airflow volume and throw, which must reach every part of the room to eliminate warm zones near the door and the floor. Fourth is the defrost method, which depends on room temperature and humidity.
Types of Evaporators We Select and Supply
- Standard unit coolers for chiller rooms operating above two degrees Celsius, typically with electric or off-cycle defrost.
- Low-temperature evaporators for freezer rooms and blast freezers, featuring wider fin spacing, electric or hot gas defrost, and heavy-duty drain heaters.
- Ceiling-mounted and ducted evaporators for rooms where air must be distributed across long distances or around obstructions.
- Corrosion-resistant evaporators with coated coils for fish processing, meat plants, and other humid or corrosive environments.
Why Poor Evaporator Selection Costs Money
An incorrectly selected evaporator causes ice build-up on the coil, blocked airflow, falling room temperature, and continuous running of the compressor. Energy consumption rises sharply, products deteriorate, and the system eventually fails. In humid coastal locations such as Mombasa and Malindi, the humidity load is much higher than in Nairobi, and the evaporator and defrost strategy must be selected accordingly. Our selection process accounts for the local climate of the actual installation site.
Our Service
Refitec Kenya selects, supplies, installs, and commissions evaporators matched precisely to your condensing unit, room volume, product load, and climate. We also replace underperforming evaporators in existing systems, correct coil icing problems, upgrade defrost systems, and repair fan motors, heaters, and sensors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should an evaporator be cleaned? Evaporator coils in food environments should be cleaned at least two to four times per year, more often where grease or dust loads are heavy; our maintenance contracts schedule this automatically. Can I change the evaporator myself to a bigger one? No. The evaporator must be matched to the condensing unit capacity, the room airflow, and the defrost strategy; an unmatched coil causes icing and compressor damage. What is fin spacing and why does it matter? Wider fin spacing on low-temperature coils resists frost blockage between defrosts, and is essential in freezer rooms.
We select, supply, and install evaporators for clients in Nairobi and every county of Kenya, with technical advice available on request.
Contact Us Today
For correctly selected evaporators and unit coolers that hold temperature and resist icing, call Refitec Kenya today on +254 704 843 613.