There are several types of condensers used in various engineering and industrial applications. The choice of condenser type depends on factors such as the specific application, the available space, and the desired performance characteristics
There are two types of condensers, Surface condensers,s, and Contact condensers. In the surface condenser, the vapor is condensed and the cooling medium is separated by a metal wall while in a contract condenser, the vapor and the cooling medium/liquid are mixed directly.
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The contact condenser is condensed by parallel current and counter-current, wet-dry, barometric level cooling system.
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Types of Condenser
I. Surface Condensers
1. Design: Surface condensers consist of a large number of tubes or pipes arranged in a bundle. These tubes are typically made of metal and are designed to have a significant surface area.
2. Operation: In surface condensers, the vapor to be condensed flows inside the tubes, while a cooling medium (often water) circulates on the outside of the tubes. Heat is transferred from the hot vapor to the cooling medium through the tube walls, causing the vapor to condense into a liquid.
3. Applications: Surface condensers are commonly used in power plants, particularly in steam turbine systems. They are also used in various industrial processes where efficient vapor condensation is required.
II. Contact Condensers
1. Design: Contact condensers are designed differently from surface condensers. They typically consist of a chamber or vessel where the vapor comes into direct contact with a cooling medium, which is often a liquid.
2. Operation: In contact condensers, the vapor is mixed or brought into contact with the cooling liquid. This direct contact allows for rapid heat transfer and condensation of the vapor into a liquid state.
3. Applications: Contact condensers are often used in applications where the vapor may contain contaminants or impurities that need to be absorbed or dissolved in the cooling medium. They are found in chemical processing, distillation columns, and some industrial scrubbing systems.
Types of Industrial Condensers
1. Air-Cooled Condenser
This type of condenser uses air as the cooling medium to remove heat from the refrigerant. Air-cooled condensers are commonly used in smaller systems or where water availability is limited.
2. Water-Cooled Condenser
Water-cooled condensers utilize water as the cooling medium to transfer heat from the refrigerant. These condensers are often more efficient than air-cooled ones but require a water source for operation.
3. Shell and Tube Condenser
This type of condenser consists of a shell (outer vessel) and a series of tubes. The refrigerant flows through the tubes, while the cooling medium, such as water, surrounds the tubes in the shell. Shell and tube condensers are widely used in various industries, including chemical processing.
4. Coil Condenser
Coil condensers consist of a coiled tube or multiple coils. They are compact and often used in residential and small commercial air conditioning systems.
5. Plate Condenser
Plate condensers use a series of flat metal plates with channels for the refrigerant and cooling medium to flow through. They are compact and efficient, commonly used in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems and heat exchangers.
6. Finned Tube Condenser
In finned tube condensers, tubes are equipped with fins to increase the surface area for better heat transfer. They are used in air conditioning units, refrigeration systems, and heat pumps.
7. Evaporative Condenser
Evaporative condensers combine the cooling effect of water evaporation with the condensing process. They are energy-efficient and often used in large industrial refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
8. Double-Pipe Condenser
Double-pipe condensers consist of two concentric pipes with refrigerant flowing inside the inner pipe and cooling medium flowing through the annular space between the pipes. They are simple in design and used in various applications.
9. Jacketed Condenser
Jacketed condensers have a jacket surrounding the main condenser body. Cooling or heating fluid flows through the jacket to control the temperature of the condensation process. They are used in chemical processing and laboratory applications.
These are some of the main types of condensers, each suited to different applications and requirements.
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Differences Between Surface Condensers and Contact Condensers
1. Design: Surface condensers have a tubular design with vapor inside the tubes and a cooling medium outside, while contact condensers have a chamber or vessel where vapor and cooling medium come into direct contact.
2. Heat Transfer: Surface condensers rely on heat transfer through tube walls, whereas contact condensers achieve heat transfer through direct contact between vapor and cooling medium.
3. Contaminant Handling: Contact condensers are better suited for handling vapor with impurities or contaminants because the cooling medium can absorb or dissolve them.
Both types of condensers have their advantages and are chosen based on specific process requirements.
Note: In practice, parallel current condensers are almost always wet condensers while counter-current condensers are always dry.
Take these Notes is, Orginal Sources: Unit Operations-II, KA Gavhane