University of Kufa – College of Engineering

th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 4 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Equipment Technology – Chapter Three – Condenser

CHAPTER THREE
CONDESER
3.1 Definition
Condensers and evaporators are basically heat exchangers in which the
refrigerant undergoes a phase change.
Condenser is an important component of any refrigeration system. In a
typical refrigerant condenser, the refrigerant enters the condenser in a
superheated state. It is first de-superheated and then condensed by rejecting heat
to an external medium. The refrigerant may leave the condenser as a saturated or
a sub-cooled liquid, depending upon the temperature of the external medium and
design of the condenser.
Fig. 3.1 shows the variation of refrigeration cycle on T-s diagram. In the
process 2-3’- 3-4: the heat rejection process.
It can be seen that process 2-3’ is a de-superheating process, during which
the refrigerant is cooled sensibly from a temperature T2 to the saturation
temperature corresponding condensing pressure, T3’.
Process 3’-3 is the condensation process, during which the temperature of
the refrigerant remains constant as it undergoes a phase change process.
In actual refrigeration systems with a finite pressure drop in the condenser
or in a system using a zeotropic refrigerant mixture, the temperature of the
refrigerant changes during the condensation process also. However, at present
for simplicity, it is assumed that the refrigerant used is a pure refrigerant (or an
azeotropic mixture) and the condenser pressure remains constant during the
condensation process.
Process 3-4 is a sensible, sub cooling process, during which the refrigerant
temperature drops from T3 to T4.

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University of Kufa – College of Engineering
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 4 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Equipment Technology – Chapter Three – Condenser

4 3 3’ 2

5 6 1

Fig.3.1 Refrigeration cycle on T-s and P-h diagrams

3.2 Classification of condensers:

Based on the external fluid, condensers can be classified as:
a) Air cooled condensers
b) Water cooled condensers, and
c) Evaporative condensers

Based on the external fluid

a) Air cooled condenser

1) Natural convection type
 Air flow rate is small
 Convection and radiation heat transfer coefficient is small
 Large condenser surface area
 Used for small capacity refrigeration system
 Fin spacing is kept large
2) Forced convection type
 Using fan or blower
 Air velocity between (2 – 3.5 m/s)

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University of Kufa – College of Engineering
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 4 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Equipment Technology – Chapter Three – Condenser

 Flow rate between (12 – 20 m3/ton)

 ∆tair ≈ 10 to 15 ˚C
b) Water cooled condenser
1) Double pipe or tube – in – tube type
 Up to 10 TR
 Heat transfer coefficient is usually low
2) Shell – and – coil type
 Up to 50 TR capacity
 Cleaning is done by circulating suitable chemical through the
coil
3) Shell – and – tube type
 From 2 TR up to thousands of TR capacity
 Single to four passes
 Shell acts as a receiver
c) Evaporative condensers
 Used both water and air
 Combine the features of a cooling tower and water-cooled
condenser in a single unit
 U is very large
 Air flow rate range 350 – 500 m3/h per Ton
 Medium to large capacity
 Water consumption is very low about 5% with cooling tower
 Longer length of refrigerant tube
d) Atmospheric condenser
 Air flow over the condenser naturally
 Condenser pipe are normally large

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University of Kufa – College of Engineering
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 4 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Equipment Technology – Chapter Three – Condenser

 Pipes horizontal or vertical

 Economical
 Problem of algae formation

3.3 Air and non-condensable

If air or other non-condensable gases enter the refrigeration system, they
will ultimately collect in the condenser, where foreign gases reduce the
efficiency of the system for two reasons: (1) The total pressure in the condenser
is elevated, which requires more power for the compressor per unit refrigeration
capacity. The condenser pressure is raised over the saturation pressure of the
refrigerant by the amount of the partial pressure of the non-condensable gas. (2)
Instead of diffusing throughout the condenser, the non-condensable cling to the
condenser tubes. Thus the condensing-surface area is reduced, which also tends
to raise the condensing pressure.
Non-condensable can be removed from the condenser by purging. The
purging operation consists of drawing a mixture of refrigerant vapor and non-
condensable from the condenser, separating the refrigerant, and discharging the
non-condensable. Ammonia systems are commonly equipped with purgers, but
the only other systems equipped with purgers are the centrifugal-compressor
systems, which use low-pressure refrigerants such as refrigerants 11 and 113.

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