Hoshizaki 2A1259G01

COMPRESSOR-CONDENSER ASSEMBLY

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.

In restaurant equipment applications using heat transfer, a condenser is a device or unit used to compress a gaseous substance into a liquid state through cooling. In so doing, the latent heat is released by the substance and transferred to the surrounding environment. For example, a refrigerator uses a condenser to get rid of heat extracted from the interior of the unit to the outside air. Condensers are typically air cooled or water cooled. A "condensing unit" may refer to the entire refrigeration system including the compressor.