My parents were fond of saying, “There is only so much meat on the bone.” No matter how hungry we children were, there was a limit as to what meat we could get from gnawing a bone. The same is true for coils. No matter how hard we wish for more, a coil can only transfer a limited amount of heat. Why is that?

Our Refrigerant Focus series delves into the history, properties, suitable applications, and pros and cons of some of today’s popular or otherwise noteworthy refrigerants. This installment will focus on R-32.

Check out some of our refrigerant focus posts below

• Refrigerant Focus #2: R-410A
• Refrigerant Focus #3: R-1234ze
• Refrigerant Focus #4: R-407A
• Refrigerant Focus #5: R-290
• Refrigerant Focus #6: CO2
• Refrigerant Focus #7: R-448A
• Refrigerant Focus #8: R-454B

Today, most new air conditioning system components that would have used R-22 prior to its regulation are now designed to operate with R-410A. However, R-22 systems, such as commercial split systems for example, still exist. This means that when a coil reaches the end of its service life, the system engineer has a decision to make: replace the system or convert the existing equipment to operate on R-410A.

In a refrigeration circuit, the evaporator coil plays a critical role. Part of its responsibility is creating the controlled pressure drop necessary for the refrigerant to change phase, the bulk of which occurs via the system’s metering device, such as a thermostatic expansion valve (TXV).

This article has been updated. It is accurate as of Feb. 8, 2022

For low-temperature hydronic systems, systems in which chillers and AHUs are located outdoors, or other equipment used in low-temperature processes, some form of glycol is a critical ingredient. It works to lower the fluid’s freezing temperature, enabling lower-temperature operation and preventing freezing.

There are terrific braze joints, awful braze joints, and everything in between. Today, we’ll examine one type of defect that can have devastating effects on joint integrity – flux entrapment.

This article has been updated. It is accurate as of 9/23/20.

Heat exchangers used for different applications need different design features. For example, in industries like pulp and paper, lower fins per inch (FPI) are often included to reduce airside fouling and to make for easier cleaning. Other applications such as the military are often concerned with weight, which impacts material selection. For this post, we're going to focus on some unique design choices we often include when building heat exchangers for the refrigerated storage of potatoes, onions, beets and other vegetables.

In many of the industries we serve, heat exchangers made with copper tubes and aluminum fin are extremely popular, and very often, these materials are a terrific choice. But copper and aluminum aren’t suited for everything. At Super Radiator Coils, the needs of many of our customers often dictate that we explore and understand alternative materials.

In March of this year, doctors and scientists responded quickly with information on COVID-19 to keep individuals – and the public at large – safe from the spread of the airborne illness. As healthcare workers and researchers worked around the clock, the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry mobilized too.

In fin tube heat exchangers, the fluid (gas/water/glycol/refrigerant/etc.) circulating through the coil’s tubes is extremely important for the coil’s overall performance – it’s half the battle, along with airside heat transfer. The degree to which the fluid contacts the tube walls affects the coil’s performance and influences a system's overall efficiency – the more the fluid comes into contact with the tube wall, the better – and more economical – the heat transfer.