Industrial Refrigeration Services: Process Cooling, Ammonia Plant and Large-Scale Systems
Factories, food plants and distribution hubs run on cooling that cannot stop. A failed compressor on a production line costs far more than the repair. ColdTec delivers industrial refrigeration services to UK sites that need process cooling, ammonia plant, large cold stores and 24/7 breakdown cover.
Our engineers design, install, commission and maintain systems from single process chillers up to full ammonia plants. Every job ends with signed compliance paperwork.
What Industrial Refrigeration Services Cover
Industrial work is a different job from a shop cold room. The loads are bigger, the pipe runs are longer, the refrigerant charges are larger, and downtime hits production targets rather than a single day of sales. Our industrial refrigeration services cover four areas: process cooling, large-scale cold storage, plant room design, and planned maintenance.
We start with a heat load calculation, not a catalogue guess. That calculation drives everything that follows: the compressor size, the evaporator surface, the pipe diameters and the controls strategy. Getting it right at the design stage is what keeps running costs down for the next fifteen years.
If you need a smaller walk-in room rather than a plant, our commercial refrigeration pages cover that side of the work.
Industrial Systems We Install
These are the five systems we build most often, and the refrigerants each one typically runs on.
| System | Refrigerant | Typical Industry |
|---|---|---|
| Process chiller | Ammonia (NH3) or CO2 | Food processing, brewing, dairies |
| Spiral freezer | Ammonia | Bakeries, poultry, ready meals |
| Blast freezer | Ammonia or HFC | Meat, seafood, prepared foods |
| Industrial cold store | Ammonia or CO2 | Distribution, third-party logistics |
| Plate / contact freezer | Ammonia or brine | Fish and seafood processing |
Process Cooling for Manufacturing
Process cooling removes heat from a product or a machine rather than from a room. Breweries use it to control fermentation. Dairies use it to drop milk temperature fast after pasteurising. Plastics and chemical plants use it to hold a reaction within a tight band. In each case the cooling is part of the production process, so a failure stops output rather than just warming a store.
We size process plant against your real duty cycle, including peak loads and future expansion. That usually means a buffer vessel, variable-speed drives on the compressors, and controls that talk to your site monitoring so faults raise an alarm before product is lost.
Ammonia and CO2 Refrigerant Systems
Ammonia (NH3) remains the refrigerant of choice for large industrial plant. It is efficient, it has no global warming potential, and it has been used safely for over a century. It does need respect: ammonia plant must be designed to recognised standards, with gas detection, ventilation and trained operators.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) systems suit sites that want a low-GWP option without an ammonia charge, particularly in smaller industrial stores and transcritical systems. Our engineers work on both, and we advise honestly on which fits your duty, your site layout and your operator training.
Refrigerant choice is regulated. UK rules on fluorinated gases set leak-check frequency and record-keeping duties, which you can read on the GOV.UK F-Gas guidance pages.
Design, Installation and Commissioning
Industrial plant is not bolted on site and switched on. It follows a staged programme so that safety checks happen before anyone charges the system.
- Heat load and design. We calculate the duty, draw the pipework and select the plant.
- Plant room and steelwork. Bases, supports and ventilation go in first.
- Pipework and pressure testing. Joints are welded or brazed, then pressure tested and evacuated before any refrigerant is added.
- Charge and commission. We charge the system, set the controls, and run it under real load before handover.
Commissioning includes a full controls walkthrough with your operators, plus written records you can show an inspector. Work at height and confined-space work follow HSE guidance.
Industrial Refrigeration Services Maintenance and Compliance
Planned maintenance is what keeps an industrial plant running for twenty years instead of eight. Our industrial refrigeration services include scheduled visits, leak detection, oil analysis, and vibration checks on compressors, so you replace a bearing on your schedule rather than during a Friday night production run.
What a Maintenance Visit Includes
- Leak detection: Electronic checks across joints, valves and seals, logged for your F-Gas record.
- Condenser and evaporator cleaning: Fouled surfaces push up discharge pressure and power use.
- Compressor health: Oil levels, suction and discharge pressures, and running currents.
- Controls calibration: Sensors, setpoints and defrost cycles verified against actual readings.
- Safety systems: Gas detection, alarms, emergency stops and ventilation tested.
Larger refrigerant charges mean more frequent statutory leak checks. We set the schedule around your charge size and keep the logbook inspection-ready.
24/7 Emergency Breakdown Cover
When a plant stops, every hour costs product. Our industrial refrigeration services include round-the-clock breakdown cover, with teams who carry the spares that fail most often and work on ammonia, CO2 and HFC systems alike.
| Fault | What You See | What We Do |
|---|---|---|
| High discharge pressure | Plant trips on pressure, room warms | Clean or repair condensers, check fans and water treatment |
| Low suction pressure | Poor cooling, heavy frosting | Find the restriction, test expansion valve, check the charge |
| Compressor failure | Loud running, or no start at all | Test windings and oil, replace or overhaul the unit |
| Refrigerant leak | Charge drops, alarms trigger | Locate and repair the leak, pressure test, recharge and log |
| Controls fault | Erratic setpoints, defrost never ends | Test sensors and relays, reprogram the controller |
For round-the-clock help, use our 24/7 Emergency Refrigeration Repair line.
Industries We Serve
Industrial cooling shows up in more places than most people expect. These are the sectors we work in most.
Temperature-controlled pharmaceutical storage follows strict distribution rules, set out in the GOV.UK good distribution practice guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as industrial refrigeration rather than commercial?
Industrial systems cool a process or a large store, typically with ammonia or CO2, a dedicated plant room, and long pipe runs. Commercial units serve shops, kitchens and small cold rooms with self-contained or split systems.
Is ammonia safe to use in a food factory?
Yes, when the plant is designed and maintained to standard. Ammonia has been used in food plants for over a century. It needs gas detection, ventilation, and trained operators, all of which we provide and document.
How often does industrial plant need a leak check?
It depends on the refrigerant charge. Larger charges need more frequent checks, in some cases every three months. We set the schedule from your charge size and keep the records for inspection.
Can you work on plant installed by another contractor?
Yes. We take on existing plant regularly, starting with a full survey so you know its condition before we quote any remedial work.
Do you offer planned maintenance contracts?
Yes. Contracts cover scheduled visits, leak detection, priority breakdown response, and a full logbook. Most industrial clients find the contract pays for itself by avoiding one unplanned shutdown.
How quickly can you attend a breakdown?
Emergency teams run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Contract clients get priority dispatch. We give you an estimated arrival time when you call, not a vague window.
Get an Industrial Refrigeration Quote
Tell us your duty, your product and your site layout. We survey, calculate the load, and send one fixed price.
ColdTec
Unit 7, 177 Hook Road
Surbiton, KT6 5AR
Email: info@cold-tec.co.uk
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week for emergency support