Application and characteristics of various industrial evaporators and condensers
Jun 02, 2022
The essence of the condenser is a wall heat exchanger with a high temperature gaseous refrigerant on one side and a cooling medium air or water on the other side. It is an indispensable device for transferring part of the heat of the heat source body to the cold fluid to realize heat exchange and heat transfer. There are often some corrosive and oxidizing substances in heat exchange, especially the air-cooled condenser that exchanges heat with the outdoor atmosphere. Therefore, the materials used to manufacture the condenser are required to have anti-corrosion properties. Common ones are water-cooled condensers, air-cooled condensers, and evaporative condensers.
1. Water-cooled condenser
Suitable for medium and large refrigeration units (such as centrifugal compressors, screw compressors)
Water-cooled condenser-shell and tube type advantages: high heat transfer efficiency and relatively compact structure.
Water-cooled condenser-shell-and-tube type Disadvantages: a cooling water system is required, and the scale on the tube wall reduces the heat transfer effect and requires regular cleaning.
2. Air cooling - condenser
It is suitable for medium and small refrigeration units and water shortage areas.
Advantages of air-cooled condenser: no cooling water is required, and it is easy to use and install.
Disadvantages of air-cooled condensers: low heat transfer coefficient, relatively large volume and weight, and dust on the surface of the fins will deteriorate heat transfer, which needs to be cleaned in time.
3. Evaporative condenser
Evaporative condensers are suitable for water shortage areas, can be installed in the open air, and are widely used in small and medium-sized systems.
Disadvantages of Evaporative Condenser: The condenser tube is exposed to the air and is easy to corrode. When the water vaporizes outside the condenser tube, the minerals are completely left on the surface of the tube, and the scale layer grows rapidly, so the cooling water needs to be softened.
Advantages of evaporative condensers: less water consumption (3~5% of water-cooled condensers), and small air flow.
