KFS Dual-Purpose Air Coolers for Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Facility

Project Overview

A pharmaceutical logistics company in the Middle East was building a GDP-compliant cold chain distribution center with strict temperature mapping requirements. The facility needed 24 air cooler units across four temperature zones: +15°C, +5°C, -20°C, and -30°C.

Challenge

• GDP (Good Distribution Practice) requires ±0.5°C temperature uniformity throughout each zone
• Redundancy required — each zone must have N+1 cooling capacity
• Low noise level requirement (<65 dB) for warehouse worker comfort
• Freon-based system (R507A) — not ammonia

Our Solution

Hicool specified and supplied 24 KFS-series air coolers from WKDL, optimized for pharmaceutical cold chain:

• Zone A (+15°C): 4× KFS-40 — low-velocity discharge for uniform air distribution
• Zone B (+5°C): 8× KFS-60 — dual-fan configuration with individual speed control
• Zone C (-20°C): 8× KFS-100 — electric defrost, drip tray heaters
• Zone D (-30°C): 4× KFS-150 — hot gas defrost, 12mm fin pitch

All units included: powder-coated casings (RAL 9003 white), vibration-isolated fan mounts, and pre-wired junction boxes with terminal designations matching the BMS (Building Management System) specification.

Results

• Temperature mapping validation passed on first attempt — all zones within ±0.3°C
• Noise levels measured at 58-62 dB across all zones — under the 65 dB requirement
• 22-day delivery including sea freight to Middle East
• GDP qualification audit passed with zero observations related to cooling equipment

Key Takeaway

Pharmaceutical cold chain demands a higher precision standard than typical cold storage. Equipment selection must account for air throw patterns, temperature uniformity, and BMS integration — not just raw cooling capacity. Hicool's technical selection service helps clients match equipment to regulatory requirements.