When talking about refrigeration compressors the layman would automatically think of the compressor in a normal household refrigerator, but in the industry we immediately think of large compressors suitable for commercial refrigeration – that is to say those used commercially in large air-conditioning plants, the sort of thing you would find in a large department store or multi-story office block. These compressors are all large mechanical compressors and are usually one of three main types:

• The screw compressor
• The scroll compressor
• The piston compressor.

One of the properties of any gas is that when it is compressed its temperature rises, and when the compression is released it loses temperature. This is why, when using an aerosol spray can it feels cold when in use or when sprayed onto the skin. Just feel the heat exchanger on the back of your refrigerator and you will find that it is warm to hot. This is all to do with the laws of thermodynamics, otherwise known as the gas laws.

There are other uses for refrigeration compressors than commercial air-conditioning plants. There is the refrigeration of retail display units, large scale food storage such as wholesale distributors, industrial refrigeration and heating of suburbs or large areas, transport refrigeration of trucks, railway wagons and vessels at sea, and that used in medicine and for cryogenic purposes. We will be happy to assist you with any queries you might have regarding refrigeration compressors or on the subject of refrigeration in general.