Which Chiller Series is Right for your Needs?
August 13, 2025
Industrial refrigeration is no longer just about performance, but also about efficiency, adaptability and cost effectiveness. Atlas Copco offers three different chillers with the TCX, TCS and TCA series, each with its own strengths and applications. But which one suits your application?
We compare the three series, show real-life application scenarios and explain what the Seasonal Energy Performance Ratio (SEPR) means for your energy balance.
TCX Series: When Space, Speed and Simplicity Count
Cooling capacity: 4-90 kW
The TCX series is aimed at companies with defined cooling requirements, for example in laboratories, small production lines or laser technology. Especially where space is limited or fast commissioning is required, TCX shows its advantages.
- Plug-and-play concept: everything integrated
- Robust design for indoor and outdoor installation
- Elektronikon and Smartlink control with remote access
The plug-and-play design with integrated tank, pump and evaporator allows for quick commissioning without lengthy installation. Thanks to the robust construction, the series also works at outside temperatures down to -20 degrees.
Why practical?
If you install a new laser cutter, for example, you can simply place the TCX next to it, connect it and get started, without external cooling circuits or additional hydraulics.
TCS Series: Energy Efficiency for Continuous Operation
Cooling capacity: 190-610 kW
The TCS series is the ideal partner for companies that require high cooling capacities around the clock, such as in injection moulding, metal processing and the food industry.
- SEPR scores 5.8 – 6.3
- EC fans, whisper-quiet and economical
- Flexibly configurable with hydraulic modules
Thanks to its multi-scroll compressor technology and excellent partial load control, the TCS achieves SEPR values of up to 6.3, well above the EU minimum requirements.
The TCS’s SEPR represents the ratio of cooling energy provided to electrical energy consumed during the entire seasonal operation. Meaning that with SEPR values up to 6.3, the TCS significantly reduces energy usage while maintaining top-notch performance.
Why practical?
In a 24/7 plastic injection molding plant, a TCS unit noticeably reduces energy consumption without sacrificing performance at partial load or fluctuations in the production schedule.
TCA Series: Flexible, modular and with free-cooling
Cooling capacity: 55-228 kW
The TCA Series combines classic refrigeration with modern free cooling technology, particularly effective in data centres, automation technology, OEM applications or in production facilities in temperate climate zones.
- Up to 40% energy savings possible
- Hybrid operation for maximum annual energy efficiency
- Optionally with adiabatic pre-cooling
With a hybrid mode that combines chiller and free-cooling, up to 40% energy can be saved. In addition, there is optional adiabatic pre-cooling.
Why practical? Real example from practice:
In a medium-sized automation company, which produces high internal heat loads throughout the year, the TCA series with free cooling function is used.
Thanks to frequent outside temperatures below 15 degrees, the system can run completely without a compressor for over 2,000 operating hours per year. Energy consumption is reduced by up to 35%, and, at the same time, the sealing of mechanical components is significantly reduced, which also minimizes maintenance costs in the long term.
SEPR Factor: The Key to Profitability
The so-called Seasonal Energy Performance Ratio (SEPR) shows how efficiently a plant works over an entire year of operation. Unlike conventional metrics such as Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) or Coefficient of Performance (COP), SEPR takes into account real load profiles and fluctuating ambient conditions.
This is especially valuable for industries with seasonal fluctuations in cooling needs, making SEPR a crucial metric for precise, long-term performance assessment.
The higher the SEPR value, the lower the electricity costs for the same output.
Comparison:
| Series | Typical SEPR | Benefit |
| TCX | 5,0 – 5,6 | Meets governmental requirements at low cost in operation |
| TCS | 5,8 – 6,3 | Highly efficient, especially under continuous load |
| TCA | 5,0 – 5,2 | Saves especially through free-cooling |
Due to the high annual efficiency, these series offer not only technical safety, but also concrete advantages in terms of running costs, a clear factor in the decision for an economical refrigeration system.
