Anyone who has worked in the seafood processing industry understands that refrigeration is not simply a “supporting utility.” It directly decides freshness, product grade, and even export compliance.
So when a seafood plant in Vietnam contacted us regarding unstable condensing performance for their ammonia refrigeration line, we expected the issue to be more complicated than the typical “temperature not cold enough” complaint.
This project uses our ZHX-1100 evaporative condenser, paired with a Mayekawa (Mycom) ammonia compressor — a combination quite common in seafood freezing facilities but rarely tuned properly for humid coastal environments. What follows is a realistic account of how the equipment was selected, installed, adjusted and what results the customer eventually obtained.
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Mayekawa (Mycom) high-efficiency ammonia screw compressor in a seafood processing plant in VietnamA Cooling Problem Hidden Behind “High Humidity”
The Vietnamese plant is located not too far from the coast. During the warm season, humidity stays high and condensing pressure on their old unit kept creeping upward.
Operators reported that the Mayekawa compressor sometimes ran hotter than recommended, and during peak production hours (especially when IQF freezing lines were running simultaneously), the system needed to slow down to avoid overload trips.
At first they blamed the compressor, but after reviewing the data it became quite obvious: the existing condenser simply could not reject heat efficiently in the heavy moisture conditions. Drift, clogged spray nozzles, and uneven distribution were making things worse.
Why the ZHX-1100 Was Picked
The ZHX-1100 model has been used often in cold storage and seafood applications, but the decision wasn’t just about capacity. Several features matched very well with the plant’s operational constraints:
- Stable condensing pressure even under humid climates — the design of the heat exchange coil and water distribution pattern reduces performance drop caused by moisture saturation.
- Low ammonia charge — Since the factory handles food exports, safety standards require careful control of ammonia volume in outdoor systems.
- Easy coil flushing — Seafood plants face airborne salt and organic particles; therefore routine cleaning must be fast and possible without long shutdowns.
- Compatible with Mayekawa compressors — ZHX-series units match the operating pressure ranges typical for Mycom screw compressors.
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Customization Required by the Seafood Industry
Seafood processing conditions are harsh. Moist air, debris, salt, and constant cleaning operations affect every piece of machinery.
To adapt the ZHX-1100 to this environment, several modifications were made:
- Stainless steel basins to resist corrosion.
- Higher-grade drift eliminators because food-grade facilities pay more attention to water carryover.
- Additional access hatches for easier inspection (Vietnamese customers often prefer broader access for quick manual checks).
- Optimized spray pattern to avoid “dry zones” under higher crosswinds near the coast.
These details are not spectacular but they make a big difference. Evaporative condensers in seafood plants tend to degrade faster if the design doesn’t account for air impurities and moisture.
Delivery and On-Site Setup
The equipment arrived during a busy production period, so the installation had to be done without interrupting the freezing line.
The customer prepared a temporary bypass for their ammonia loop, allowing the team to switch from the old condenser to the ZHX-1100 within a few hours. A crane was arranged for early morning when ambient temperature was lower — a small detail, but it helped reduce refrigerant pressure during the transition.
During the test run, the Mayekawa screw compressor reached steady condensing pressure noticeably sooner than before. One of the engineers even commented that the compressor sounded “lighter,” which was later confirmed by energy logs.
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Performance After Commissioning
Once production was back to normal, real data started to come in. The improvements looked almost immediate:
- Condensing pressure dropped by 1.1–1.6 bar compared to the old unit.
- Compressor discharge temperature stabilized, reducing stress on bearings and cooling system.
- Energy consumption lowered because the Mycom compressor was running at a smoother load curve.
- IQF and cold room temperatures became more uniform, especially during peak shifts.
One notable improvement was the reduction in defrost cycles. This wasn’t expected at first, but stable condensing conditions improved evaporation efficiency downstream, allowing the freezing tunnels to hold temperature more consistently.
Maintenance Feedback from the Client
After several weeks, the plant’s maintenance team shared feedback that actually surprised us more than the performance data:
They said the cleaning process took “significantly less time,” mainly because the water distribution trays remained unclogged and the coil surface was easier to rinse.
Seafood plants do frequent wash-downs, so anything that shortens maintenance has real cost value.
In their own words: “This one is easier for us. Less trouble.”
A simple sentence, but very meaningful for industrial equipment.
What This Case Tells Us
This Vietnam seafood project highlights a few truths that people outside refrigeration seldom notice:
- Humidity can quietly ruin condensing efficiency if the equipment is not designed to handle moisture saturation.
- Choosing the right condenser helps protect the compressor — especially expensive units like Mycom screw compressors.
- Customization matters; standard units often fail faster in seafood environments.
- Energy savings usually come as a “bonus result,” even if the primary goal is stability.
In short, a properly selected evaporative condenser is not only a heat-exchange device — it is a production stabilizer. When the refrigeration system breathes smoothly, the entire seafood processing line operates with fewer interruptions and better product quality.
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If you are considering upgrading condensers, cooling towers, or ammonia refrigeration components for food processing facilities, our engineering team can provide recommendations based on practical use cases across Southeast Asia, Oceania, and South America.