| What is the “Evaporator Fan? ” |
The Evaporator Fan is a solid state energy
saving device designed for walk-in refrigerators
and freezers. |
| How does the Evaporator Fan work? |
The purpose of a refrigeration compressor
and related equipment is to pump heat
out of a box. Often, more than 30% of that
heat is generated by the evaporator fan
motors. Evaporator Fan reduces this heat
load approximately 75% by lowering the
voltage to the evaporator fan motors when
chamber is not being actively cooled. The result
is a significant saving in operation costs.
The dramatic energy saving produced by
the Evaporator Fan have been confirmed
by more than four years of extensive laboratory
and field testing. |
| Where can I use the Evaporator Fan? |
The Evaporator Fan is designed to be
used on walk-in refrigerators and freezers
typically found in food-service businesses,
florists, and markets. Reach-in coolers
with storage behind the doors can also
benefit from the Evaporator Fan. It is
not applicable to HVAC systems, home air-conditioners,
or small, stand-alone reach-in boxes. |
| Is the Evaporator Fan safe? |
Because the Evaporator Fan does not interfere with the
refrigeration cycle nor directly involve
the compressor, it cannot harm the compressor
or any of the other equipment. Because
the compressor duty cycle is reduced, it can only have
a beneficial effect on the equipment and
should extend its life accordingly. |
| Will the Evaporator Fan interfere with
any of the Refrigeration Components? |
The Evaporator Fan only controls the
speed of the fans in the evaporator coils, and
does not directly affect any other portion
of the refrigeration system. The refrigeration
system continues to function normally. |
| How much will the Evaporator Fansave? |
While there are a number of conditions
that affect the amount saved by Evaporator
Fan in any particular installation, typical
energy and cost savings are in the 25-40%
range. |
| What is my return on investment? |
The actual dollar savings resulting from
use of the Evaporator Fan will depend on
the cost of electricity in your area. For
an electricity cost of 12 cents per kilowatt-hour,
typical payback time is about 18 months. |
| How long does it take to install? |
Installation time is typically about
45 minutes to one hour. Only qualified
personnel, familiar with the electrical
wiring and the operation of refrigeration
systems should do the installation of the
Evaporator Fan. |
| What is involved in the installation
of the Evaporator Fan ? |
The Evaporator Fan is typically installed
on the outside of evaporator coil case,
and the wires run through two small holes,
to be connected to appropriate points inside
the case. A mounting template is included
to guide in the placement of the Evaporator Fan
and the mounting holes. A “Tee”
sensor is connected to the solenoid coil,
and a small interconnect cable run from
the “Tee” to
the Evaporator Fan. An Ice Sensor is inserted
into the evaporator coil near the refrigerant
entrance point, and its wires connected
to the Evaporator Fan. More details are available
in the Evaporator Fan Installation Manual, which
is available elsewhere on the website. |
| Does the Evaporator Fan have a warranty? |
The Evaporator Fan Evaporator Fan Controller is warranted
for five (5) years from the date of purchase against defects
in materials and workmanship. ECE will repair or replace any
defective unit with a new or refurbished unit, free of charge,
subject to conditions indicated in the owner’s manual. |
| Will the Evaporator Fan cause icing? |
The Evaporator Fan will not contribute to any tendency
for the evaporator coils to ice up. Because it operates the
fans at high speed whenever the system is in cooling mode, the
evaporator heat transfer characteristics are unchanged. In fact,
the Evaporator Fan has an Ice Sensor feature, which will continue
to operate the fans at high speed if ice is detected in the
coils, even after the refrigeration system has returned to idle
mode. Because of the Evaporator Fan’s Ice Sensor feature, any
evaporator icing is dealt with immediately and automatically,
rather than waiting for it to be noticed by personnel. |
| Will temperature stratification become a
problem? |
Extensive testing, and actual customer experience,
verify that there is more than adequate air movement to prevent
stratification with the fans running at low speed under Evaporator Fan
control. |
| How long will the Evaporator Fan last? |
The Evaporator Fan should outlast your refrigeration
system. It contains all solid-state electronic circuitry, and
has built-in safeguards against failures. Properly installed,
there is no reason for it to fail under normal operation. |
| Are there any other benefits to using the
Evaporator Fan? |
For certain applications, other benefits can
equal or exceed that of energy savings. The reduced air movement
extends the shelf life of perishables such as meat, fish, produce,
pizza dough, and flowers, by slowing the dehydration process.
In addition, the reduced running of the compressor will add
to its lifetime, putting off the day that this expensive unit
will need to be replaced. |
| What options does the Evaporator Fan have? |
- A special “Y” cable is available to allow
two Evaporator Fans to operate from one “Tee” sensor.
This is used in systems where one solenoid valve gates refrigerant
to two evaporators.
- A special high-current “Tee” Sensor is available
for installations where the system status must be sensed
from the current in a compressor power wire. This “Tee”
will handle up to 25 Amperes of current.
|
| Will the Evaporator Fan work on 3-phase motors? |
We are currently working on a three-phase design
to use the Evaporator Fan concept in larger industrial refrigeration
systems. When the design is complete, the information will be
presented on this website. |
| What voltages are useable with the Evaporator Fan? |
The Evaporator Fan is available in 120 VAC and 208-240
VAC single-phase versions. Each voltage version is available
with current ratings of 6 and 12 Amperes. |
| How can I use the Evaporator Fan with pressure-controlled
or CPC systems? |
Refrigeration systems employing TXV (Thermal
Expansion Valve), AXV (Automatic Expansion Valve), or other
pressure-controlled regulation of the cooler temperature must
be modified to work with the Evaporator Fan. Because the Evaporator Fan
must sense some electrical activity to indicate whether the
system is in cooling mode or idle, it cannot detect this status
in pressure-controlled systems.
The easiest conversion to allow installation of a Evaporator Fan
is to add a standard thermostat and solenoid valve to the
system. This will allow the Evaporator Fan to operate normally,
and may even solve some other maintenance problems with the
cooling system.
The Evaporator Fan is not applicable to CPC systems, or any system
which uses modulated or variable expansion valves, unless
the system can be converted to standard thermostat / solenoid
valve operation. Typically, the CPC systems are used in coolers
which require very tight temperature control, and cannot be
converted. |
| How can I get a Evaporator Fan? |
Contact your local refrigeration supplier.
If they do not carry the Evaporator Fan, you may purchase directly
from Energy Control Equipment. |
| Are there discounts available? |
For dealers and distributors, an attractive
discount program is offered. For end-users, discounts will depend
on the quantity of Evaporator Fans purchased. Contact our office for
specific information. |
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