Compressors (Refrigeration)

How does a refrigeration and air conditioning compressor work?

Refrigeration compressors and air conditioning compressors provide air conditioning, heat pumping, and refrigeration for large-scale facilities and equipment. They compress low-pressure, low-volume gas into high-pressure and high-temperature gas. Refrigeration compressors and air conditioning compressors also remove vapor from the evaporator. Most refrigeration compressors (refrigerant compressors) are large, mechanical units that form the heart of industrial cooling systems or heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Air conditioning compressors are also large-scale mechanical devices; however, these compressors are designed specifically for air conditioning systems and do not provide heating or ventilation functions.

There are three main categories of refrigeration and air conditioning compressors:

• Screw: Screw compressors pass refrigerant vapor through screw spindles which compress the gas. Although most screw compressors have two spindles, products with three or more spindles are also available.
• Scroll: Scroll compressors are the most common type of refrigerant compressor. They have a relatively low rate of leakage and provide high efficiency.
• Piston: Piston compressors or reciprocating compressors are specifically designed for industrial and commercial applications. They compress gases to high pressures and are designed for continuous operation.

There are 5 basic parts to any Refrigerator (or Airco system)

1. Compressor
2. Heat-exchanging pipes - serpentine or coiled set of pipes outside the unit
3. Expansion valve
4. Heat-exchanging pipes - serpentine or coiled set of pipes inside the unit
5. Refrigerant - liquid that evaporates inside the refrigerator to create the cold temperatures

TSS Rotterdam supplies spare parts for various types of the following manufacturers:

• Bitzer 
• Bock
• Carlyle
• Carrier 
• Copeland
• Daikin 
• Mycom 
• Sabroe
• Stal
• York

For more information, download our compressors (refrigeration) brochure.