Compressors

The first models of the cooling compressors were typical ammonium machines. In those days, the ammonium was most popular refrigerant and therefore, the compressors were extremely heavy to cope with the high pressures and worked relatively at low speeds as compared to the contemporary compressors. Thanks to the improvements in the design of the valves, compressor axle seals, bearing and lubrication systems ensured the progressive increases in the speed. That ensured to use smaller size of compressors for a moderate horse powers. That was because higher speed ensured lower displaced volume for given capacity.

Use of modern chillers had made great contribution in the design and development of the compressors. At those times, the parts of the system coming into contact with the ammonium needed to be made from steel. The use of sulfur dioxide and methyl chloride as the refrigerant, it had been possible to use non-metallic materials. Further introduction of the halogenated hydrocarbon refrigerants had probably made the greatest impact on the compressor's design. It was then possible to make use the non-metals like the aluminum. Likewise, use of R-12 had given rise to the popularization of the hermetic compressors (airtight).

The development of the compressors for the commercial cooling and acclimatization made it possible the compressors being incorporated in household refrigerators. The hermetic compressors and cooling feed devices with capillary tubes were first employed in household refrigerated proven their integrities. In the beginning of thirties, the hermetic compressors had been the standard for the refrigerator manufacturers. In few years that followed, belt-and-pulley driven compressors had almost disappeared in the refrigeration domain. The ice-cream refrigerators, beverage coolers and water coolers had been the second ranking hermetic compressors consumers.

In 1935, first hermetic compressor was employed in the acclimatization and majority of the acclimatization manufacturers had turned their faces to the hermetic compressors. The graphic of the use of the hermetic compressors had been in a steady increase in commercial and acclimatization purposes.