Recent Blog Posts

Refrigeration Cycle: Heat of Compression

July 28th, 2026

Anyone that has operated a refrigeration system knows that a significant amount of energy is required to run a compressor. “Heat” and “energy” are measured using the same units, and much of the electrical energy required by the compressor is transformed into heat energy in the refrigerant vapor. Think about it this way. When any […]

Refrigeration Cycle: Refrigeration Condition Throughout the Cycle

July 21st, 2026

A savvy refrigeration professional will not only understand the vapor compression cycle, but will also know the “condition” of the refrigerant throughout the system. Let’s start with saturation. Whenever a substance changes from liquid to vapor or vice versa, it is said to be “saturated”. Additionally, a refrigerant is saturated when liquid and vapor coexist. […]

Refrigeration Cycle: Pumped Overfeed Refrigeration System

July 14th, 2026

A “pumped overfeed” or “recirc system” is similar to the gravity-flooded system in that it utilizes a vessel that was not part of the DX system. In a pumped overfeed system, however, the vessel, often called a “recirculator”, is not located above the evaporator. In fact, the recirculator may be a long distance from the […]

Refrigeration Cycle: Gravity Flooded Refrigeration System

July 7th, 2026

A “gravity-fed”, or “flooded” refrigeration system has all of the same components as the direct expansion system, but utilizes an additional vessel. Whereas the DX system piped the high-pressure liquid through an expansion device and directly into the evaporator, a flooded system is designed so that the liquid leaving the expansion valve is piped to […]

Refrigeration Cycle: Direct Expansion Refrigeration System

June 30th, 2026

A direct expansion, or DX, refrigeration system is the simplest of the refrigeration cycles. In a DX system high pressure liquid is supplied through an expansion device, directly into the evaporator, hence the name “direct expansion”. As the refrigerant absorbs heat in the evaporator, it boils as it transitions from a liquid to a vapor. […]