Condenser (heat transfer)
Condensers can be made according to numerous designs and come in many sizes ranging from rather small (hand-held) to very large (industrial-scale units used in plant processes).
For example, a refrigerator uses a condenser to get rid of heat extracted from the interior of the unit to the outside air.
Condensers are used in air conditioning, industrial chemical processes such as distillation, steam power plants, and other heat-exchange systems.
As the vapor cools, it reaches the saturation temperature, condenses into liquid, and releases large quantities of latent heat.
Common secondary fluids include water, air, refrigerants, or phase-change materials.
It is a shell and tube heat exchanger installed at the outlet of every steam turbine in thermal power stations.
The condensate drips down and collects at the bottom, often in a built-in pan called a hotwell.
Conversely, the vapor can be fed through the tubes with the coolant water or air flowing around the outside.
Commercially available condensers usually are fitted with ground glass joints and come in standard lengths of 100, 200, and 400 mm.
A condenser unit used in central air conditioning systems typically has a heat exchanger section to cool down and condense incoming refrigerant vapor into liquid, a compressor to raise the pressure of the refrigerant and move it along, and a fan for blowing outside air through the heat exchanger section to cool the refrigerant inside.
The fan is used to pull outside cooling air in through the heat exchanger section at the sides and blow it out the top through the grating.
Of course, an electric power supply is needed for the compressor and fan inside the unit.
In a direct-contact condenser, hot vapor and cool liquid are introduced into a vessel and allowed to mix directly, rather than being separated by a barrier such as the wall of a heat exchanger tube.
The entering vapor and liquid typically contain a single condensable substance, such as a water spray being used to cool air and adjust its humidity.
