How One Fan Failure Contaminated Tons of Fries—and What You Can Do to Prevent It

The Invisible Threat in Your Cold Chain. When Should You Replace Your Evaporator Fan? 

What if a small, overlooked component in your cooling system could cost your company thousands—if not millions—in wasted product? What if it’s not about if it fails, but when? 

In industrial freezing environments, few things are more deceptively critical than evaporator fans. You don’t see them, you hear them every day, but rarely stop to think about them, until they fail. And by then, it’s often too late 

This article explores the real-world consequences of neglected evaporator fans, including a costly failure at a leading global French Fries’ manufacturer. We’ll also break down the signs of wear, how to know when replacement is due, and how proactive steps can save your operation from disaster. 

What Does an Evaporator Fan Actually Do? 

Think of your freezer as a human body, and the evaporator fan as the lungs. Its job? Circulating cold air evenly to maintain a stable temperature. Without it, your cooling system loses balance. 

The fan keeps airflow consistent over the product by working with the evaporator coil, which allows efficient heat exchange. This ensures product integrity and system reliability. 

If the fan falters, three things can happen quickly: 

1. Temperature zones become unstable. 
2. Frost buildup increases. 
3. Worst of all, product contamination becomes a risk. 

And while minor faults might seem like just another maintenance job, the consequences can snowball fast. 

A Real-World Breakdown: When a Fan Failure Shook an Entire Operation 

Let’s talk about the leading Global and UK’s major French fries’ producer—a name trusted across supermarkets, fast-food chains, and restaurants. 

The machine in question was an ageing 45-metre-long IQF tunnel freezer, running at a capacity of 15,000 kg per hour, equipped with over 20 evaporator fans. On a seemingly regular production day, operators reported abnormal noise from within the unit. Minutes later, the line halted. 

Cause? A damaged evaporator fan blade.
Effect? That blade had fractured mid-operation, sending small plastic and metal shards spinning at high speed. 

Some of those debris particles were found inside packaged fries. That entire batch—several tons—had to be scrapped. Not sold. Not reused. Destroyed.

“We thought it was a minor maintenance issue. We didn’t expect it to shut down two shifts and waste a full day’s worth of production,” said their Plant Engineering Manager. 

The aftermath included: 

• Product loss 
• Downtime penalties 
• Strained supplier relationships 

All because of a component that costs a fraction of the lost inventory. And while the machine had served them well for years, this failure highlighted the risks of ageing infrastructure paired with insufficient fan monitoring. 

How Korutek Saved the Day (and the Product Line) 

After the incident, the French fries’ manufacturer reached out to Korutek for emergency support. The situation was urgent, and we acted fast. 

We identified several issues during the inspection: 

• The likely root cause of damage was bearing wear in the fan motor, which led to shaft wobble. 

• That lateral movement caused the fan body to grind against the inlet cone, eventually leading to blade fracture. 

• Additional wear signs were also found in the plastic belt guides, which were repositioned to prevent further abrasion of the mesh. 

What we did: 

• Deployed engineers for immediate inspection and repair 

• Supplied OEM evaporator fan replacements 

• Upgraded their monitoring process with a Remote Condition Monitoring system 

• Recommended routine inspection intervals tailored to their production volume 

• Helped them stock critical spares on-site, minimising future downtime
   

Within 48 hours, the plant was back to full operation. More importantly, their team now had a clear roadmap to prevent this from ever happening again. 

“Korutek didn’t just fix the issue. They made sure we were never vulnerable to it again,” said the Head of QA for the company. 

When Should You Replace Your Evaporator Fan? 

Just like brakes in a car, evaporator fans show signs before they fail. But are you listening? 

Here’s what to watch for: 

• Unusual noises like clicking, buzzing, or rattling 

• Vibration in the housing or coil 

• Visible cracks or looseness in the fan blades 

• Fluctuating temperatures or inconsistent product freezing 

• Increased frost or condensation 

• Elevated power consumption or amperage. 

If any of these show up, don’t wait. The golden rule? Inspect regularly. Replace immediately at the first sign of damage.

Waiting until failure is like waiting until your tyres explode before buying new ones. It’s never worth the gamble. 

Don’t Wait for Failure: The Case for Critical Spares 

Why wait for failure when you can prepare for it? 

Keeping evaporator fan spares on-site is not just best practice—it’s an insurance policy against unplanned downtime, contamination, On-site injuries or accidents and lost revenue. 

Benefits of stocking critical spare evaporator fans: 

• Zero waiting time when issues arise 

• No dependency on supplier lead times 

• Consistent product quality 

• Fewer interruptions to production schedules
   

And with today’s supply chain delays, waiting even a few days for a fan replacement can set you back weeks financially. 

Korutek helps clients across the global food industry identify which parts are truly “critical” and builds strategies to keep them ready, tested, and close. 

Conclusion: How Much Is a Fan Blade Worth to You? 

So, when should you replace your evaporator fan? 

The short answer: Before it breaks.
The long answer: The moment you notice even a whisper of damage, vibration, or inconsistency. 

We began with a question: What if a small, overlooked component could cause massive disruption? Now we’ve seen the answer. It already has. 

But here’s the good news: You can stop that from happening. All it takes is awareness, inspection, and a partner who understands the stakes. 

Want help building your own critical spare plan?
Let Korutek guide you with insight, experience, and support when you need it most. Because sometimes, it’s the smallest parts that carry the biggest weight. 

“The cost of prevention is always less than the cost of recovery.” 

Click here to talk with Korutek’s engineering team. Let’s secure your system before the fan stops.