At FRIGAIR 2025, mechanical engineer Thiago Fernandes who at that time was from Full Gauge Controls presented insights into two refrigeration technologies: adiabatic condensation and floating condensation.
ASSOCIATIONS
Smart cooling with adiabatic and floating condensation in refrigeration
His message was that when applied correctly, these innovations can significantly improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact and cut operational costs.
“ Adiabatic condensation can increase efficiency by up to 30 % compared to traditional dry cooling,” said Fernandes.“ And floating condensation can offer energy savings of around 15 % by allowing systems to adapt to changing outdoor temperatures.” These gains, he explained, are especially valuable in industries like food processing, pharmaceuticals and chemical manufacturing, where refrigeration reliability and efficiency are critical.
Adiabatic condensation uses evaporative cooling to pre-cool the air before it enters a heat exchanger.“ You spray or pass water through pads to lower the air temperature, which makes the condenser work more efficiently. This process helps reduce the condensing pressure, lowering the workload on the compressor and, in turn, reducing energy use,” Fernandes said.
Dry cooling, by contrast, relies solely on ambient air and uses no water. It’ s wellsuited to water-scarce regions but doesn’ t offer the same efficiency boost.“ With adiabatic systems you only use water when needed— typically during high ambient temperatures— which makes it a smart, costeffective choice for improving performance without excessive water use.”
Different adiabatic configurations are available, including spray systems, pad systems and hybrid designs. These systems can either discard or recirculate the water, depending on environmental and maintenance considerations.“ Recirculated water systems need some treatment, but they can minimise waste and scale buildup, making them more sustainable over time,” he noted.
Floating condensation is another key energy-saving strategy. Rather than
By Eamonn Ryan
At FRIGAIR 2025, mechanical engineer Thiago Fernandes who at that time was from Full Gauge Controls presented insights into two refrigeration technologies: adiabatic condensation and floating condensation.
operating the condenser at a fixed pressure, the system adapts based on ambient outdoor temperatures.
“ In cooler weather, there ' s no need to maintain high condensing pressures,” Fernandes explained.“ If the outside air is colder, the compressor can operate at a lower pressure, reducing its workload.” This dynamic approach improves the coefficient of performance( COP)- a measure of how efficiently a system uses energy- and helps extend compressor life due to reduced mechanical stress.
Fernandes noted that this method can reduce compressor power consumption by 10 – 20 %, lower fan speeds( further saving energy), and even cut refrigerant losses due to decreased system pressure.
THE POWER OF COMBINING BOTH
“ These two technologies are not mutually exclusive. Using adiabatic cooling and floating condensation together offers even greater energy savings, especially in aircooled systems,” Fernandes said. The combined effect lowers both energy use and
Mechanical engineer Thiago Fernandes who at that time was from Full Gauge Controls.
mechanical wear, improving system uptime and reducing maintenance needs.
Crucially, lower system pressure also means less stress on piping and a reduced risk of refrigerant leakage- an important consideration as refrigerants become more costly and environmentally regulated. Industries already using these technologies include food production,
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8 www. coldlinkafrica. co. za COLD LINK AFRICA • October 2025