Which liquid flows in and out of the condenser?

Author: Mrs. Nora O'Reilly  |  Last update: Thursday, January 29, 2026

Inside the condenser, the refrigerant vapor condenses into a liquid. Liquid refrigerant and oil have an affinity for each other, so the oil easily moves along with the liquid refrigerant. From the condenser, this mixture of liquid refrigerant and oil flows through the liquid line to the expansion device.

What is the liquid that leaves the condenser called?

As the cooler, compressed liquid refrigerant leaves the condenser, it travels through copper tubing and enters the evaporator coil (usually located in an attic, basement or utility space) via the expansion valve regulating the flow of expanding refrigerant as it vaporizes.

What flows through a condenser?

The condenser's main job is to cool down the refrigerant. The condenser coils hold hot refrigerant. Air flows over the condenser coils and heat transfers from the hot condenser coils to the cool air. This heat transfer takes heat away from the refrigerant, so it cools it down.

What liquid is in a condenser?

Countless variations exist in condenser design, with design variables including the working fluid, the secondary fluid, the geometry, and the material. Common secondary fluids include water, air, refrigerants, or phase-change materials.

Where does water go in and out of a condenser?

Water must enter from the bottom of the condenser in order to fill the entire condenser. If water enters from the top it drains from the bottom and never fills it up. A full condenser is necessary to maximize the heat transfer for condensation.

Variable Condenser Water Flow

Where is the water inlet to the condenser?

### Summary To summarize, the water inlet should go into the bottom barb of the condenser and exit from the top barb to: - Ensure effective cooling of the vapor. - Promote smooth water flow and prevent air pockets. - Maintain a consistent temperature gradient for optimal condensation.

Where does water enter the condenser?

When connecting the water tubing to your condenser, remember that water enters from the bottom of the condenser and exits from the top. Add boiling stones to your distillation flask BEFORE you start heating.

Can you drink condenser water?

The condensate water may be used for various purposes except drinking. The limited volume harvested could be used for cleaning the laboratories, washing scientific equipment, watering of potted plants in greenhouses, conducting some scientific experiments, and flushing toilets [3,14].

What comes out of a condenser?

The condenser coil is located outside the home and releases heat absorbed from indoors by condensing the refrigerant back into a liquid.

What fluid goes in AC condenser?

Three of the most popular refrigerants currently in use are R-407C, R-410A, and R-134a, but there are others in use as well. The various types of coolants and their main properties are described below, including the older R-22 that must be replaced with newer coolants.

What is the liquid line to the condenser?

An AC liquid line is a pipe that connects the condenser coil to the expansion valve. The liquid line in an AC unit carries the liquid refrigerant from the condenser coil to the expansion valve. While The suction line is another pipe that runs from the expansion valve to the compressor.

What is the flow and return of the condenser water?

The condenser is a two compartment water tube unit meaning the water flows from a pump from the entry end then flows back through the second tube bank before returning to the tank. The steam enters the top of the condenser body and condensate is pumped out of the bottom.

Does refrigerant turn to liquid in condenser?

The condenser removes heat from the hot refrigerant vapor gas vapor until it condenses into a saturated liquid state, a.k.a. condensation. After condensing, the refrigerant is a high-pressure, low-temperature liquid, at which point it's routed to the loop's expansion device.

What is the liquid collected from a condenser called?

The liquid obtained by the condensation of vapor is called distillate. Distillation. Distillation is the process of separating a liquid from its solution by evaporating it and then condensing its vapor.

Why is water coming out from the condenser?

A clogged condensate drain line is one of the most common causes of air conditioner water leakage. Over time, this line can become clogged with algae, dirt, dust, and debris.

What is the liquid receiver in a condenser?

Liquid Refrigerant Receivers are designed to hold excess liquid that would otherwise back up in the Condenser Coil and essentially reduce the size of the Condenser Coil. During pump down, Receivers also act as a holding tank. Liquid Line Receivers are designed for installation in the liquid line of any HVAC&R Units.

What leaves a condenser?

The refrigerant normally leaves the condenser at a temperature slightly lower than the saturation temperature. This subcooling represents approximately 2-5% of the total heat rejection and is necessary to avoid flash gas before the expansion valve.

Is the high side the liquid line?

The compressor creates a pressure differential, resulting in high pressure on the high side (discharge line, condenser, and liquid line) and low pressure on the low side (suction line, evaporator, and expansion line).

What is a condenser filled with?

By rejecting heat, the gaseous refrigerant condenses to liquid inside the condenser. The major types of condensers used are (1) water-cooled, (2) air-cooled, and (3) evaporative. In evaporative condensers, both air and water are used.

Is condensate water distilled water?

The temperature of the air drops, and the humidity, from the added outside air and moisture from the space, is removed as condensate. Condensate is essentially distilled water, low in mineral content, but may contain bacteria.

Can you drink rain water?

Key points. Rainwater is not necessarily safe to drink without first removing germs and chemicals from it. Regularly test your rainwater for germs and chemicals if you drink, cook, or bathe with it. How you set up your collection system and proper maintenance can improve the quality of your rainwater.

What happens to water in a condenser?

Water is used in a condenser to cool and condense the distillate gas back to its liquid form. Water is used because it absorbs more heat energy than air of the same volume. It also allows condensation to occur at a constant temperature.

What is condenser water supply?

The condenser water absorbs heat as it circulates through the building's pipes and is carried to a cooling tower located on the roof of the building. The condenser water gives up the heat to the atmosphere as it evaporates while passing through the cooling tower.

What happens if the flow of water through the condenser is a very high stream?

Yes, technically more water would mean more efficient cooling. The time a particular water molecule is in contact with the condenser does not really matter. You would want the water flow kept quite low though. Too high water flow might cause the tubing to get disconnected or just flop around spewing water everywhere.

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