ABSTRACT:

Energy efficiency plays a vital role in reducing operating costs and improving the overall performance of industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Evaporative condensers offer significant potential for reducing condensing temperature and compressor energy consumption by utilizing the combined effects of air movement and water evaporation. The present study focuses on the design and analysis of an evaporative condenser while maintaining geometric similarity with real-scale equipment. The proposed condenser consists of a bundle of 300 stainless-steel tubes having an external diameter of 26.67 mm. The study includes the determination of major design parameters, development of the condenser geometry, and numerical simulation of its thermal and flow characteristics. The design methodology considers the heat rejection requirements, refrigerant-side and air-side conditions, water circulation, and heat and mass transfer processes associated with evaporative cooling. A three-dimensional computational model of the evaporative condenser is developed to evaluate the temperature distribution, airflow behavior, and thermal performance of the condenser. The simulation results provide insight into the interaction between the air, water spray, and tube bundle and help assess the effectiveness of the proposed configuration. The developed design and analysis methodology can serve as a basis for the optimization and development of energy-efficient evaporative condensers for industrial refrigeration applications.