condensers

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eager2learn

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Mennifee,Ca
i am currently working with a company that is do work at a high school. my question is - what exactly does a condenser do regarding the a.c. unit and it's supply of power. i really am confused about this subject. i asked one of my fellow workers and he shined me on. any info. would be greatly appreciated
 
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BruceH

Senior Member
Re: condensers

A condenser is part of an a/c/refrigeration system. It's purpose is to reject the heat absorbed by the evaporator which is inside the buildings ductwork or in the case of refrigeration, inside the walk-in cooler, etc. The evaporater absorbs the btu's and the condensor rejects the btu's to the atmosphere with mechanical fans or with water. A condensing unit would also house the compressor. In a large building such as a school, you would probably have a chiller which supplies chilled water throughout the school to provide cooling, this condensor would be part of the chiller system. Again, rejecting the heat to the atmosphere. It can get quite involved and sophisticated with all the different systems out there but that's the simplest way I can explain it.
 
George Stolz

George Stolz

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Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
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Service Manager
Re: condensers

Originally posted by BruceH:
...but that's the simplest way I can explain it.
Click to expand...
I'll try to go simpler. :)

Oops, I don't think that was simpler.

Would you like to hear about the blue lines in hockey? :D

Edit Error A

[ September 20, 2005, 08:32 AM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]
 
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rattus

Senior Member
Re: condensers

Are you perhaps talking about a capacitor? "Condenser" is the outdated name for capacitor. If so, capacitors are used in starting and running the compressor and fan motors.

In the cooling cycle however, a condenser does literally that; it condenses the hot, high pressure, gaseous Freon (from the evaporator) into a liquid. This process removes heat from the Freon. This liquid is then pumped back to the evaporator where it is vaporized by the room heat and low pressure from the suction side of the compressor. The compressor compresses this cool gas which raises its temperature and pumps it into the condenser again to complete the cycle.

The condenser and evaporator coils are similar to an automobile radiator. Both are heat exchangers. The evaporator absorbs heat, and the condenser dissipates heat. The compressor changes the pressures and keeps the refrigerant (Freon) moving. Fans or blowers are required to force the air over these coils.

[ September 21, 2005, 12:09 AM: Message edited by: rattus ]
 
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torcho

Member
Location
Wyoming
Re: condensers

Rattus must have been an HVAC guy in a former life...He's right on the money :) I would like to add one thing. The refrigerant enters the compressor as a warm vapor, it is compressed and sent to the condenser (hot vapor) once it goes through the condenser, it is cooled (now becomes a warm liquid) from the condenser it heads for the evaporator, but somewhere before it gets there it goes through a fixed orifice or expansion valve at the evaporator (lowering the pressure, thus turning it into a cold liquid) This cold liquid then runs through the evaporator core which is located in the plenum of the furnace. Warm air from the house passes through the evaporator causing the cold liquid to boil (changes from liquid to gas) like Rattus said absorbing heat from the home. Then back to the condensing unit for the cycle to start over again. I used to have a neat little diagram with color coded arrows showing direction of flow and temperatures...I'll try to dig it up.

Edited to add, most newer a/c systems no longer use "Freon" which is actually a trade name for DuPont (if I remember right...) "Freon" was CFC, which was blamed for ozone depletion. Most newer systems use a more environmentally friendly refrigerant like HFC-R134a or HFC-R410a.

[ September 21, 2005, 02:57 AM: Message edited by: torcho ]
 
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rattus

Senior Member
Re: condensers

Torcho,

I would argue that it is cold vapor in the suction line. It is cold enough to make the line sweat, and with a capillary tube, a bit of liquid flows back to the compressor.

Lots of Freon still out there, especially F-22 in residential systems. My old Day-Night used F-500, and my new Bryant uses Puron whatever that is.

Ages ago, many people used "Kodak" for "camera". Same with Freon--not that it matters. :)
 
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torcho

Member
Location
Wyoming
Re: condensers

Yep, you're right....It would be a cool vapor. I was just figuring the temperature of the airflow across the evaporator was about 400f :D
 
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