Aluminium/copper, microchannel and steel condensers

How to choose

The condenser is chosen for the capacity, the refrigerant and the space available

The capacity of a condenser is stated at a defined temperature difference – with us most often delta T = 15 K for R290. The same heat exchange with another refrigerant and another difference gives a different figure, so comparing capacities without checking the conditions leads nowhere.

At the same capacity a microchannel condenser is smaller and lighter than a finned one, and it also holds less refrigerant – which matters with hydrocarbons, because the charge of the circuit is limited by regulation. It costs more and is harder to repair, so it is chosen where space or a charge limit is what counts.

A steel gravity condenser has no fan – it gives off heat by natural convection. It works silently and has nothing to break down, but it needs free airflow around it and a larger area. It is a solution for quiet display cases and for appliances where a fan would be a problem.

A mesh filter in front of the condenser is the item that pays for itself fastest in this whole category. Clogged fins raise the condensing pressure, and that translates directly into power consumption and into the life of the compressor.