What the System Has to Do
A cold-storage chiller plant holds a large, insulated space at a steady temperature despite door openings, fresh product loads, and outdoor heat. Many facilities use a glycol (secondary-fluid) loop: the chiller cools glycol, and the glycol is pumped to air handlers throughout the warehouse. This keeps the refrigerant charge centralized and the distribution safe and simple.
Reliability Comes First
The product in a cold store is usually worth far more than the cooling equipment, and a temperature excursion can spoil an entire facility’s inventory. That is why these systems are built with redundancy — multiple chillers or N+1 capacity — and monitoring, so a single failure never puts the product at risk.
Match the temperature class. Cooler (above freezing), freezer, and blast-freeze applications need different setpoints and fluids. Define the temperature class up front — it sets the chiller and glycol concentration.
Efficiency at Scale
| Lever | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Redundancy (N+1 / multiple units) | Protects inventory if one chiller fails |
| Glycol concentration | Set to the lowest temperature; affects capacity |
| Part-load efficiency | Warehouses run at part load most of the time |
| Free cooling in cold climates | Big energy savings when ambient is low |
Sizing
Size from the building’s total heat gain — envelope, infiltration from door openings, product pull-down, lighting, and equipment — at design conditions, then add margin and redundancy. Because warehouses spend most of their time at part load, part-load efficiency often matters more than peak capacity for the energy bill.
FAQ
Why use a glycol loop instead of direct refrigerant?
A glycol secondary loop keeps the refrigerant charge centralized at the chiller and lets you distribute cooling safely across a large warehouse through pumped glycol to air handlers. It simplifies the system and reduces refrigerant risk.
How much redundancy do I need?
Enough that one chiller can fail or be serviced without putting product at risk — commonly N+1 or multiple units. The inventory is usually worth far more than the extra capacity costs.
Does part-load efficiency really matter?
Yes — cold stores run at part load most of the year, so a system that is efficient at part load saves more energy over time than one that only looks good at peak.
See the full Warehousing & Cold Storage page for system options.
Not Sure What You Need?
Tell us what you are cooling and we will figure out the right chiller for you. No jargon, no catalog. Just a straight answer.