Condenser pre-coolers recover the capacity hot days steal
Air-cooled refrigeration condensers lose capacity and efficiency exactly when you need them most. A pre-cooler module mounts in front of the condenser and cools the air before it arrives — so your compressor stops fighting the weather.
See the difference — flip it on
Illustration using the Phoenix design day from the table below: 108°F ambient, an estimated 81°F after pre-cooling. The workload bar shows the idea, not a measurement — savings depend on your system.
Cooler intake air means lower head pressure, less power per ton, and recovered capacity. The media also filters the air before it reaches the coil, preventing the fouling that quietly eats efficiency. Pre-coolers install easily as a retro-fit.
What pre-cooled air looks like in your city
ASHRAE 1% cooling design conditions — the hottest conditions your city plans around — versus the air temperature a MegEvap pre-cooler delivers to your condenser.
| Location | Design Dry Bulb (°F) | Design Wet Bulb (°F) | Pre-Cooler Leaving Air (°F) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 108 | 70 | 80.6 |
| Las Vegas, NV | 106 | 66 | 77.2 |
| El Paso, TX | 98 | 64 | 73.5 |
| Sacramento, CA | 97 | 69 | 76.8 |
| San Antonio, TX | 97 | 74 | 80.4 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 96 | 74 | 80.2 |
| Boise, ID | 94 | 63 | 71.7 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 94 | 62 | 71.0 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 93 | 60 | 69.2 |
| Denver, CO | 93 | 59 | 68.5 |
| Detroit, MI | 87 | 72 | 76.2 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 86 | 70 | 74.5 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 81 | 64 | 68.8 |
In Phoenix, that's condenser intake air an estimated 27°F cooler on a design day. Controls can be matched to your system's requirements.
Other ways to take load off the compressor
Stationary Systems
Retro-fit wet sections on the fresh-air intake of the air handling system you already own — the biggest energy win in the line.
Portable Coolers
Models from 6,000 to 20,000 CFM for spot cooling and whole-space ventilation.
The Energy Math
Why evaporative cooling costs roughly 150× less power than refrigeration for the same temperature drop.
Size a pre-cooler for your condenser
Send us the condenser make and model, your design conditions, and your location. We'll tell you what the intake air would look like.