28 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I May 2026
PROCESS COOLING FEATURE SERIES
Process cooling
SMART COOLING WITH ADIABATIC AND FLOATING CONDENSATION IN REFRIGERATION
By Eamonn Ryan
At FRIGAIR 2025, mechanical engineer Thiago Fernandes from Full Gauge Controls presented insights into two refrigeration technologies: adiabatic condensation and floating condensation.
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. And floating condensation can offer energy savings of around 15 % by allowing systems to adapt to changing outdoor temperatures,” said Fernandes. 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 well-suited 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, cost-effective 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 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. If the outside air is colder, the compressor can operate at a lower pressure, reducing its workload,” Fernandes explained. This dynamic approach improves the
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28 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I May 2026