{
    "name": "Cold Chain Cooling Load Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cold-chain-cooling-load-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/cold-chain-cooling-load-calculator.md",
    "category": "Logistics & transport",
    "description": "Estimate the refrigeration load of a chilled store from wall heat gain, product pull-down, internal loads and air-change allowance, in kW and tons.",
    "summary": "A cold room’s cooling load is the heat leaking through its walls (U × A × ΔT), plus the heat removed from warm product, plus lights, fans and people, with allowances for door openings and a safety margin.",
    "also_called": [
        "Cold room heat load calculator",
        "Cold storage refrigeration calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "length",
            "label": "Inside length",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "6",
            "unit": "m"
        },
        {
            "name": "width",
            "label": "Inside width",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "4",
            "unit": "m"
        },
        {
            "name": "height",
            "label": "Inside height",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "3",
            "unit": "m"
        },
        {
            "name": "u_value",
            "label": "Panel U-value",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0.25",
            "unit": "W/m²·K"
        },
        {
            "name": "outside",
            "label": "Design outside temperature",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "35",
            "unit": "°C"
        },
        {
            "name": "inside",
            "label": "Room set-point",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "2",
            "unit": "°C"
        },
        {
            "name": "product_kg",
            "label": "Product loaded per pull-down",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "2000",
            "unit": "kg",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "cp",
            "label": "Product specific heat (above freezing)",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "3.6",
            "unit": "kJ/kg·K"
        },
        {
            "name": "product_temp",
            "label": "Product entering temperature",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "25",
            "unit": "°C"
        },
        {
            "name": "pull_hours",
            "label": "Pull-down time",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "12",
            "unit": "h"
        },
        {
            "name": "internal_w",
            "label": "Lights, fans and people",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "500",
            "unit": "W",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "infiltration",
            "label": "Air-change and door allowance",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "15",
            "unit": "%",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "safety",
            "label": "Safety factor",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "10",
            "unit": "%",
            "optional": true
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "total_kw",
            "label": "Refrigeration load",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "tr",
            "label": "Refrigeration tons",
            "format": "number"
        },
        {
            "key": "transmission_w",
            "label": "Wall, floor and ceiling gain",
            "format": "integer"
        },
        {
            "key": "product_w",
            "label": "Product pull-down load",
            "format": "integer"
        },
        {
            "key": "internal_w",
            "label": "Internal loads",
            "format": "integer"
        },
        {
            "key": "infiltration_w",
            "label": "Air-change allowance",
            "format": "integer"
        },
        {
            "key": "surface_m2",
            "label": "Enclosure surface area",
            "format": "number"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "Q_walls = U × A × (T_out − T_in);  Q_product = m × c × (T_product − T_in) ÷ t;  Q = (Q_walls + Q_product + Q_internal) × (1 + Air%) × (1 + Safety%);  TR = kW ÷ 3.5169",
        "variables": {
            "A": "2 × (L·W + L·H + W·H), all six inside faces",
            "m, c": "product mass and specific heat",
            "t": "pull-down time in seconds",
            "1 TR": "12,000 BTU/h = 3.5169 kW"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "length": "6",
            "width": "4",
            "height": "3",
            "u_value": "0.25",
            "outside": "35",
            "inside": "2",
            "product_kg": "2000",
            "cp": "3.6",
            "product_temp": "25",
            "pull_hours": "12",
            "internal_w": "500",
            "infiltration": "15",
            "safety": "10"
        },
        "steps": [
            "Area = 2 × (24 + 18 + 12) = 108 m²; walls = 0.25 × 108 × 33 = 891 W.",
            "Product = 2,000 × 3.6 × 23 = 165,600 kJ over 43,200 s = 3,833 W.",
            "Subtotal = 891 + 3,833 + 500 = 5,224 W; +15% = 6,008 W; +10% = 6,609 W.",
            "6.61 kW ÷ 3.5169 = 1.88 TR."
        ],
        "result": "The 6 × 4 × 3 m chiller needs about 6.6 kW (1.9 TR) of refrigeration."
    },
    "interpretation": "Use this as a first sizing check. Product pull-down usually dominates for rooms receiving warm product; transmission dominates for long-term storage of pre-cooled goods.",
    "assumptions": [
        "Product is cooled but not frozen (sensible heat only).",
        "Floor heat gain uses the same U-value and outside temperature as the walls."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Latent heat of freezing, product respiration, defrost heat, solar gain and humidity are not included.",
        "Final equipment sizing should be done by a refrigeration engineer using the full load method."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "Can I use this for a freezer?",
            "answer": "Only for the part above freezing. Freezing product releases latent heat that this tool does not model, so the load would be badly underestimated."
        },
        {
            "question": "Why a safety factor?",
            "answer": "It covers uncertainty in the inputs and lets the system recover after door openings. Typical allowances are set by your engineer."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "Refrigerated Truck Fuel Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/refrigerated-truck-fuel-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Temperature Excursion Duration Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/temperature-excursion-duration-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Temperature Converter",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/temperature-converter"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": "Quantities are estimates. Confirm requirements with your engineer or supplier before ordering materials.",
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}