Bard 8201-171BX

COMPRESSOR CONTROL MODULE

Compressors are used in all kinds of restaurant equipment from refrigerators and freezers to walk-ins, from merchandisers and display cabinets to condiment and frozen beverage dispensers and much more. A compressor is a mechanical device (a motor) that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume to affect cooling via the transfer of heat.

Compressors used in refrigeration systems are often described as being either "hermetic" or "semi-hermetic". The difference between the hermetic and semi-hermetic types is their design and construction. A hermetic compressor has a one-piece welded steel casing that cannot be opened for repair -- if the hermetic unit fails, it is simply replaced with an entirely new one. A semi-hermetic compressor uses a large cast metal shell with gasketed covers and screws that can be opened in order to replace the motor and other internal components.

Controls of all kinds are integral parts of restaurant equipment operation. A control is a switch or other device by which a machine is regulated. A control may be manual or automatically operated. An electro-mechanical control typically consists of multiple relays, timers, and/or counters wired together on an enclosure panel. Electro-mechanical control is also referred to simply as "Relay Control", which is a more accurate term since solid state electronic relays, timers, and counters are standard components. Contactors, motor and compressor starters, valves, thermostats, and other output devices are used to turn on/off motors, indicator lights, heating elements, and other components used in the equipment.

In foodservice equipment, a module is one sub-component (or "part") of a larger more complex device that may be the fully assembled piece of equipment itself. A module may refer to a variety of replacement parts including relay modules, ignition modules, communications modules, heater modules and others.