Using EC fans to trigger defrost on demand
5th November 2026
GERMANY: EBM-Papst has developed a technology for need-based defrosting based on operating data from EC fans.
Laboratory results and initial field tests are said to confirm the potential for the technology which solves the problem of fixed defrost intervals in refrigeration systems triggering unnecessary defrost cycles.
The technology uses operating data from the EC fan to assess the icing condition of the evaporator and trigger defrost cycles only when necessary.
Studies conducted to date in a deep-freeze application at -18°C are said to demonstrate the potential of on-demand defrosting. Compared to time-controlled defrosting, weekly energy consumption was reduced from 7.8kWh to 3.4kWh.
Instead of a fixed defrost cycle every seven hours, only three to six defrost cycles per week were required, depending on the icing condition. This results in a potential savings of more than 49%.
Further pilot projects are planned for the future to confirm the results under different operating conditions.
To implement Defrost on Demand, EBM‑Papst is currently investigating various integration approaches. One of these is based on an EVCO cooling unit controller that manages the entire refrigeration cycle and can integrate the functions required for on-demand defrosting. At the same time, the company is examining how its own NEXAIRA Gateway can be used as a digital platform to evaluate operating data and provide additional monitoring and analysis functions.
Both approaches are currently undergoing further development and are being validated through pilot projects.
