Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-06-04 Origin: Site
Why are ethylene glycol air coolers needed?
In scenarios requiring long-distance cooling or multi-point decentralized cooling, such as large cold storage facilities, food processing plants, and ice rinks, direct expansion (DX) systems face problems such as excessive refrigerant pressure drop, difficulty in oil return, and excessive refrigerant charge. The advantages of ethylene glycol systems as secondary refrigeration systems are:
Comparison | Direct Expansion (DX) System | Ethylene Glycol (Indirect) System |
Cold Capacity Delivery Distance | Limited by pressure drop, generally <50m | Can deliver over long distances (several kilometers) |
Refrigerant Charge | Large | Small (within the machine room only) |
Leakage Risk | Refrigerant leaks directly into the cold storage | Ethylene glycol leaks, non-toxic and harmless |
Multi-point Cooling | Requires multiple units | One unit powers multiple air coolers |
System Complexity | Each unit requires an expansion valve and distributor | Only an ethylene glycol circulation pump is needed |
Initial Investment | Lower for small-scale operations | Even lower after scaling up |
Ethylene glycol systems are particularly suitable for: large cold storage complexes, food processing plants, cold chain logistics centers, ice rinks, chemical cooling, and other similar scenarios.
Ethylene glycol air coolers are structurally similar to ordinary unit coolers, but due to the heat exchange characteristics of ethylene glycol and its use in low-temperature environments, their design and materials have unique features.
Coil Design
Features | Typical Specifications | Description |
Heat Exchange Tubes | φ12mm, φ15mm | Copper Tubes Ethylene glycol viscosity is higher than refrigerant, requiring larger tube diameters. |
Tube Arrangement | 50×50mm | Square Arrangement Increased tube spacing reduces pressure drop on the ethylene glycol side. |
Fin Material | Aluminum Fins | Optional epoxy or hydrophilic coating. |
Fin Spacing | 4.0mm, 6.0mm, 9.0mm | Larger spacing is used for low temperatures/severe frosting. |
