Evaporative Fluid Cooler Vs Evaporative Condenser
Evaporative Fluid Cooler (Closed-Circuit Cooler)
- Purpose: Cools a liquid (e.g., water, glycol mix).
- Process: Cools the fluid through sensible heat transfer (the liquid’s temperature drops, but it remains a liquid).
- Circuit: Closed-loop. The process fluid is isolated inside a coil and never exposed to the atmosphere.
- What’s in the Coil? Cooled process fluid (single-phase).
- Common Use: Rejecting heat from industrial processes, plastic molding machines, data center cooling systems, and engine jackets. Often used in a condenser loop for water-cooled chillers.
Evaporative Condenser
- Purpose: Condenses a refrigerant (changes gas to liquid).
- Process: Rejects the latent heat of condensation from the refrigerant.
- Circuit: Closed-loop for refrigerant. The refrigerant is isolated inside a coil, but the process is part of a refrigeration cycle.
- What’s in the Coil? Refrigerant (undergoing a phase change).
- Common Use: Directly condensing refrigerant from a compressor in refrigeration systems, HVAC systems, and industrial chillers. It replaces the need for a separate “cooling tower + condenser” setup.