A condenser is an important part of the cooling system. It is also called as a heat ejector. It is used in refrigeration systems and power plants. It helps to condense gases or steam. This helps in turning a superheated, high-pressure vapor into a subcooled liquid.
This article explains what a condenser does, including its parts, functions, and types. We’ve gathered helpful information about the different types of condensers, so let’s dive in and understand them all.
Definition Of Condenser
Condensers are found in refrigeration systems. Their job is to cool the high-temperature and high-pressure gas from the compressor. The condenser cools the refrigerant and turns it into a liquid. During this it makes sure that it keeps it at high pressure.

Air or water is used as the primary cooling medium. Condenser components need good thermal conductivity. It must also have good corrosion resistance. This two points wills help transfer heat effectively.
Working of Condenser
Every condenser goes through three phases. The first phase is desuperheating. In this phase, the superheated and super pressurized vapor from the evaporator and compressor enters the condenser. Desuperheating is the process of removing heat from vapor and turning it into liquid.
The next stage is the condensation state, where more heat is lost until 10% of the refrigerant is vapor and 90% is liquid.
The final phase is characterized by subcooling. Subcooling ensures that the liquid refrigerant remains in liquid form without being affected by fluctuating temperatures that could otherwise cause it to vaporize.
Now that you understand how a condenser works, we can explore different types of condensers step by step in the following sections. But first, let’s delve into the specifications of condensers.
Specifications of Condenser
A condenser datasheet is a standard format for specifying condenser specifications. The manufacturer’s design and selection sheet includes a complete list of the condenser’s standards and specifications.
- Design and Operating Temperature
- Coolant or Refrigerant Capacity
- Flow Rate
- Allowable Pressure Drop
- Design and Operating Pressure
- Condensing Capacity
- Condenser Material
Types of Condensers
Here are the main types of condensers and their functions:
Air-cooled condenser
- Natural convection
- Forced convection
Water-cooled condenser
- Double tube type
- Shell and coil condenser
- Shell and tube condenser
Evaporative condenser
There are three main types of condensers based on the condensing medium used to remove heat from the system. Each type should be used appropriately depending on the situation, as none has specific advantages over the others.
#1 Air-cooled Condenser
This type of condenser use air as the external fluid. This helps to remove heat from the system. It cools the refrigerant. This helps to condense from a gas into a liquid.

Typically, a fin coil is used with this type of condenser to increase surface area and transfer heat away from the refrigerant inside. Fin coils are usually made of copper tubes and fins. This type of condenser is divided into two categories:
- Natural convection
- Forced convection
Let us check out the difference between Forced convection and natural convection one by one.
Natural Convection
In this condenser, air comes in contact with warm coils. It absorbs the heat from the refrigerant inside the coils. This causes the air temperature to rise. Warm air is lighter. It rises and is replaced by cooler air. This then comes in contact with the warm coils to absorb more heat. This natural cycle repeats until the refrigerant loses enough heat.
Due to the minimal airflow and limited heat transfer from radiation, these condensers have a low heat transfer coefficient. Therefore, a relatively large condensing surface is needed to reject a given amount of heat. As a result, small-capacity refrigeration systems like home refrigerators and freezers use these types of condensers.
Forced Convection
Forced convection is a type of condenser that uses a blower or fan. It helps to remove heat from the refrigerant inside the coils.
The fins in a forced convection condenser are placed closely. If dirt and dust get trapped between the fins, it can significantly restrict airflow and heat rejection.
Forced convection condensers are found in window air conditioners, water coolers, and packaged air conditioning systems.
#2 Water-cooled Condenser
It is called liquid condenser because it uses water as the fluid to remove heat from the refrigerant. They are used in places where there is an adequate supply of water.

Double Tube
In double-tube condensers, a water tube is enclosed by a larger refrigerant tube. The water absorbs most of the refrigerant’s heat. Natural convection also helps in the cooling process as the refrigerant tube is in contact with circulating air.
Double-tube condensers were used in the past. Their numerous gaskets and flanges made maintenance complicated.
Shell and Coil Condenser
In a shell-and-coil condenser, a welded shell contains a coil of finned water tubing. The hot refrigerant circulates in the shell. During this cooling water flows through the coils. It helps in cooling and condensing the refrigerant. This type of water-cooled condenser is generally inexpensive and portable.
Shell and Tube Condenser
Shell and tube condensers work by rejecting heat through a cylindrical shell containing water tubes. The refrigerant circulates in the shell while water pumps through the tubes. Adding fins to the pipes improves heat transfer. These condensers are generally inexpensive and easy to maintain.
The most common type is the horizontal shell and tube condenser. However, vertical shell and tube condensers are typically used with ammonia in large-capacity systems, allowing for top-down tube cleaning while the plant is still in operation.
Evaporative Condenser
The evaporative condenser combines water and air cooling to efficiently cool the refrigerant. It uses both air and water as condensing mediums.
In an evaporative condenser, water from the sump is pumped. It is then sprayed over coils while a fan blows air through the condenser. The water sprayed onto the coils evaporates. It absorb heat from the refrigerant to allow vaporization.

A certain amount of water circulates in the sump. Additional water is added to compensate for the evaporated water loss. Evaporative condensers are used in areas where water is scarce. They operate on a closed-loop system with minimal water evaporation.
Makeup water is supplied to replace evaporated water losses. So water consumption is very low. It is only around 5% compared to an equivalent water-cooled condenser with a cooling tower. But these condensers require longer refrigerant tubing. This results in larger refrigerant inventories. It also causes higher pressure drops due to their external placement.
Comparison Between Evaporative Cooling & Water Cooling Condensers
Differentiating Factor | Evaporative Cooling | Water Cooling |
---|---|---|
Cost | Less expensive | Requires a cooling tower |
Water Availability | Used in water-scarce areas | Typically used where water is plentiful |
Winter Operation | Water pump must be turned off to prevent freezing | No such requirement |
Construction | Easier to build, air is readily accessible | More complex due to water flow control and corrosion prevention |
Maintenance Costs | Lower maintenance costs compared to water-cooled systems | Higher maintenance costs |
Efficiency | Less effective heat transfer compared to water-cooled systems | More effective heat transfer due to higher heat exchange coefficient |
This table summarizes the important points that differentiate evaporative cooling and water cooling condenser systems.
How To Select Condenser?
Selecting the appropriate condenser for any application involves several factors, such as:
- Type of industry
- Types of condensing medium
- Full or partial condensing requirements
- Heat rejection calculation and condensing capacity
- Design, operating, dry bulb, and wet bulb temperatures
- Condenser material
- Pressure drop criteria
- Space availability
- Corrosion
- Fouling factor
Pros And Cons Of Condenser
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Improves plant efficiency by increasing the expansion ratio of steam. | Requires a sufficient supply of freshwater. |
Reduces steam’s backpressure, enabling more work to be produced. | Challenging to repair, with corrosion being a common issue. |
Increases work efficiency by lowering the temperature of the exhaust steam. | Takes up more space and incurs higher maintenance costs. |
Decreases the cost of electricity production by reusing condensate as boiler feedwater. | |
Lowers the amount of heat supplied per kg of steam, as condensate is warmer than freshwater. |
Conclusion
Thanks for reading! I hope I covered everything about condenser types. If I missed anything or you have questions, feel free to ask. If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends!