Condensers

The basic purpose of the condenser is to remove

the heat of the hot vapor refrigerant discharged
from the compressor.
Working of a condenser
 Factors affecting the heat transfer
capacity of an evaporator

• Material
• Contact surface area
• Temperature difference
 Heat rejection factor

𝑄𝑐 1
𝐻𝑅𝐹 = =1+
𝑅𝑒 𝐶𝑂𝑃
where

𝑄𝑐 = 𝑅𝑒 + W
 Classification of condensers
• Air cooled condenser
• Water cooled condenser
• Evaporative condensers
 Air cooled condenser
• Removal of heat by air
• Steel or copper tubing (6mm to 18mm)
• Steel (used for ammonia refrigeration system)
• Tubes are provided with fins
• Single row condensers are more effective.
 Types of air cooled condenser
• Natural convection air cooled condensers
Air movement due to buoyancy effect
Requires large surface area
Used in small capacity applications
• Forced convection air cooled condensers
Fan
Base mounted air cooled condensers
Used for less than 10 tonnes refrigeration unit
Remote air cooled condensers
Used for 10 tonnes to 250 tonnes
Duct work is required for air flow
 Water cooled condenser
• Removal of heat by water
• used where adequate supply of water and
disposal are available
• Use of water cooled condensers
Waste water system
Recirculated water system
Waste water system
Recirculated water system
Types of water cooled condenser
• Tube in tube or double tube condensers
Parallel flow
Counterflow
• Shell and coil condensers
Withstand more strain
Cleaned with chemicals
• Shell and tube condensers
Double tube condensers
 Fouling factor
• Deposition of foreign materials inside the
condenser tubes
Restrict liquid flow
Reduce heat transfer rate
Insulate the tubes
• Fouling factor is the reciprocal of heat transfer
coefficient
Heat transfer in condensers
1. Heat transfer from vapor refrigerant to the
outside of the tube
𝑄 = ℎ𝑜 𝐴𝑜 𝑇1 − 𝑇2
𝑄
𝑇1 − 𝑇2 =
ℎ𝑜 𝐴𝑜
2. Heat transfer from the outside surface to the
inside surface of the tube.
𝑘𝐴𝑚 𝑇2 − 𝑇3
𝑄=
𝑥
𝑄𝑥
𝑇2 − 𝑇3 =
𝑘𝐴𝑚
3. Heat transfer through layer of scale
𝑄 = ℎ𝑓 𝐴𝑖 𝑇3 − 𝑇4
𝑄
𝑇3 − 𝑇4 =
ℎ𝑓 𝐴𝑖
4. Heat transfer from boundary layer film to
the water inside the tube
𝑄 = ℎ𝑖 𝐴𝑖 𝑇4 − 𝑇5
𝑄
𝑇4 − 𝑇5 =
ℎ𝑓 𝐴𝑖
 Condensing heat transfer coefficient

• Overall h for condensation on a vertical surface

of height x is given by
3 1/4
𝑘𝑓 𝜌𝑓 − 𝜌𝑔 𝑔 × ℎ𝑓𝑔
ℎ = 0.943
𝜇 × 𝑥 × ∆𝑡
Average h for vapor condensing outside of
horizontal tubes of diameter D is given by
3 2 1/4
𝑘𝑓 𝜌𝑓 𝑔 × ℎ𝑓𝑔
ℎ𝑜 = 0.725
𝜇 × 𝑁 × 𝐷 × ∆𝑡
 Air side coefficient
• Grimson’s equation
𝑛
ℎ𝐷 𝐷𝑢∞ 𝜌
=𝐶 𝑃𝑟1/3
𝑘 𝜇
Natural convection air condensers (laminar flow)
ℎ = 1.32 ∆𝑇 𝐷 0.25
Turbulant flow
ℎ = 1.24 ∆𝑇 1/3
 Water side coefficient
• Dittus Boelter Coefficient
0.8
𝑘 𝐷𝑣𝜌
ℎ𝑖 = 0.023 × 𝑃𝑟 0.4
𝐷 𝜇

Finned tubes
1 1 𝑥 1 1
= + + +
𝑈𝑜 𝐴𝑜 ℎ𝑜 𝐴𝑜 𝑘𝐴𝑚 ℎ𝑓 𝐴𝑖 ℎ𝑖 𝐴𝑖
Evaporative condensers
• Use both the water
and air as cooling
mediums
• Perform the
combined
functions of a
water cooled
condenser and
cooling tower.
 Cooling towers
• Enclosed tower like structure through which atmospheric air
circulates to cool the large quantities of warm water by direct
contact.

Spray pond

• It consists of a piping and spray nozzle arrangement over an

outdoor open reservoir or pond.
Capacity of cooling towers and spray
ponds
• The amount of water surface exposed to the air
• The length of the exposure time
• The velocity of air passing over the water
droplets formed in cooling tower
• The wet bulb temperature of the atmospheric
air
 Types of cooling towers
1. Natural draft cooling towers
Atmospheric natural draft (spray type) cooling
towers
Atmospheric natural draft (splash deck type)
cooling towers
2. Mechanical draft cooling towers
Forced draft cooling towers
Induced draft cooling towers
Atmospheric natural draft (spray type)
cooling towers
Atmospheric natural draft (splash deck type) cooling
towers
Forced draft cooling towers
Induced draft cooling towers