What type of evaporator is typically used in light commercial refrigeration?

The typical choice for an evaporator in light commercial refrigeration is a direct expansion (DX) or forced-air evaporator. This type of evaporator is designed to efficiently cool air within the refrigeration system, utilizing a refrigerant that absorbs heat as it evaporates. The operation of a DX evaporator involves passing air over the cold evaporator coils, which facilitates the heat exchange process—resulting in cooled air being distributed into the refrigerated space.

Direct expansion evaporators are favored in light commercial applications due to their simplicity, compact size, and effectiveness in temperature control. They require less space and are easier to install compared to other types of evaporators. This makes them ideal for environments such as convenience stores, restaurants, and small grocery stores, where space can often be limited.

On the other hand, flooded evaporators are typically used in larger systems where high efficiency and large scale cooling capacity are needed, which is not as common in light commercial refrigeration. Plate evaporators are more often found in specialized applications and shell-and-tube evaporators are generally used in refrigeration systems with a different design, often in industrial or larger commercial setups. Therefore, the direct expansion (DX) or forced-air evaporator's popularity in light commercial refrigeration lies in its effective cooling performance