How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Selecting Industrial Compressors, Fans & Refrigeration Equipment

I've been handling Howden equipment orders for about seven years now. In that time I've personally made—and carefully documented—enough mistakes to fill a small warehouse. Roughly $18,000 worth of wasted budget, give or take. That's the kind of tuition you don't want to pay.

So here's the thing: there's no single "right" way to pick a compressor, fan, or refrigeration system. It depends on your situation. But there are definitely wrong ways. Let me walk you through the three most common scenarios I've seen (and screwed up myself), so you can figure out which one fits your project.

Scenario A: You're Buying a Compressor for a New Build (Industrial Gas or Refrigeration)

First mistake I made: I compared prices on howden compressors against a competing brand's website, found one $2,100 cheaper, and pushed it through. We installed it. Three months later the discharge temperature was running 18°C above spec. The repair cost $1,400 plus 4 days of downtime.

What I missed? The cheaper unit had a smaller intercooler and no oil temperature regulation. In continuous duty (which this was), it couldn't shed heat fast enough.

What you should ask instead:

• What's the continuous duty rating vs. intermittent rating?
• What's the cooling medium temperature range? (If your plant uses 35°C cooling water, a compressor rated at 25°C inlet will fail.)
• Are OEM spare parts available in your region within 48 hours? Howden's global network is one reason their lifecycle cost often ends up lower.

I now start every compressor inquiry with those three questions. Not the price. The price comes after I know the machine will actually survive in my environment.

Scenario B: You're Specifying a Fan for a High-Temperature or Corrosive Environment

People search "howden fan company website" expecting a catalog of all-purpose fans. Sure, Howden makes everything from centrifugal fans for cement kilns to axial fans for mine ventilation. But the question everyone asks is "what's the CFM?" The question they should ask is "what gas temperature and composition will the fan see?"

I once ordered six fans for a chemical dryer application. Checked the flow rate, static pressure, motor power—all matched. But the spec sheet said "max inlet temp 80°C." The actual gas stream peaked at 95°C during upset conditions. By the time we caught it, two fans had plastic impeller deformation. $3,100 replacement cost, 10-day lead time.

Key checkpoints for fan selection:

• Maximum operating temperature (including transient spikes)
• Gas composition — is there moisture, acid gases, or particulates?
• Does the fan wheel material need to be stainless, coated, or even Hastelloy?

And by the way, if you're googling "dewalt blower" for a light-duty workshop job, that's a different universe. Don't confuse portable handheld blowers with industrial process fans. Different standards, different reliability requirements.

Scenario C: You're Designing a Cold Chain System – Ice Maker, Freezer, or Chiller

This one hits close to home. A client wanted to build an ice maker machine for a fishing port. They needed around 12 tons/day of flake ice. I helped them size a screw compressor from Howden's refrigeration range. On paper it looked perfect.

But then they asked: "Can you put glass in the freezer?" Not their ice maker—their storage freezer next to it. They had containers of glass jars with seafood. I thought, sure, glass is fine in freezers. Wrong.

Turns out, if the glass contains high-moisture food and the freezer cycles (defrost cycles), thermal shock can crack jars. Plus, if the freezer is air-blast type with direct impingement on glass, the temperature gradient can be severe. We ended up adding a baffle and changing the defrost strategy. Cost: $850 in rework plus a delay.

The lesson for any cold chain project:

• Don't assume standard materials will survive the actual temperature profile.
• Check the defrost method (electric, hot gas, or off-cycle) and how it affects product packaging.
• For industrial ice makers, consider the water quality and ice hardness – that affects the compressor load.

I have mixed feelings about this whole experience. On one hand, the system works great now. On the other, the embarrassment of missing something so basic still stings. That's why I now maintain a pre-order checklist for every refrigeration project.

How to Know Which Scenario You're In (And What to Do About It)

Here's the simplest way to self-diagnose:

• If you're buying a compressor (any brand, including Howden) for a new process line, start with duty cycle and cooling conditions. Get those in writing from the vendor before comparing prices.
• If you're buying fans for a hot or aggressive gas stream, get the full gas analysis and transient temperatures. Don't just check CFM.
• If you're building a cold chain (ice maker, blast freezer, cold storage), think about the product packaging and defrost interaction. Ask the silly questions like "can you put glass in the freezer?" because sometimes the silly question saves you $850.

One last thing: the vendor who answers all your technical questions upfront—and shows you the total cost including installation, commissioning, and first-year spare parts—almost always costs less in the long run. I've learned to ask "what's not included" before "what's the price."

Simple. Period.

Disclaimer: all dollar figures are approximate from memory, based on actual orders processed between 2019 and 2024. Names and details modified to protect clients.