Product Cooling Load Estimator
Estimate the product-side refrigeration duty for continuous food cooling without phase change.
Estimate the product sensible cooling load
Calculate the thermal duty required to cool a continuous food-product flow without phase change. The result provides a preliminary refrigeration basis before allowances for equipment, room and infiltration loads.
Who should use this estimator?
Process engineers
Estimate the product-side duty for chillers, cooling conveyors and process-water systems.
Factory planners
Prepare a preliminary utility brief for refrigeration suppliers.
Equipment buyers
Check whether proposed cooling capacity is stated as product load or total installed duty.
Product cooling duty (kW) = mass flow x specific heat x temperature change / 3,600
Loads not included in this estimate
Equipment and room
Fans, pumps, motors, walls, lighting and ambient heat gains require separate calculation.
Air and moisture
Door opening, infiltration, evaporation, condensation and defrost loads are excluded.
Phase change
Freezing, ice formation or evaporation requires latent heat and a detailed heat balance.
Food product cooling load FAQ
What specific heat should I use?
Use measured or formulation-based product data. The default is only a preliminary value for a high-moisture food.
Can this calculate freezing load?
No. Freezing requires latent heat, changing specific heat and a defined final temperature below the freezing point.
Is the engineering allowance enough for chiller selection?
Not by itself. A refrigeration engineer must include all product, equipment, room, ambient and operational loads.