What is a car ac condenser & How choose？

What is a car ac condenser？

Ac condenser is a heat exchanger in an automotive air conditioning system. The condenser looks a lot like a radiator, only thinner, and is usually located in front of the radiator since it also relies on air flow through it. Nowadays, condensers are usually made of aluminum, but in the past, some condensers were made of copper/brass.

Like radiators and evaporators, condensers are made up of a series of tubes surrounded by fins. However, unlike the evaporator, which works by absorbing heat, the condenser works by releasing heat. More specifically, it is to release the heat absorbed by the refrigerant as it flows through the evaporator, just as the radiator releases the heat of the engine coolant, which is absorbed by the coolant as it flows through the engine. The refrigerant enters the condenser as a high-pressure vapor, but as it flows through the condenser and cools, it becomes a colder, high-pressure liquid again.

The condenser can be compared to the radiator in an engine cooling system.

 

- The radiator releases the heat from the hot engine coolant to the atmosphere

- The condenser, in turn, releases the heat from the hot air conditioning system refrigerant into the atmosphere.

 

Are there different types of condensers?

 

In the automotive industry, there are 3 types of air conditioning condensers currently in use: serpentine, tubular and finned, as well as the most popular parallel flow condenser. We will explain the condensers in order of their efficiency from lowest to highest.

 

Tube-fin condensers

The original design of condenser was of this type. It was used for the large front opening grilles of early U.S. air conditioning production vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with R12 refrigerant, which is very efficient for starting gases, so it did not require the surface area of a condenser. This design features multiple tubes running to a piccolo-like manifold. This is not the most efficient design for modern R134a refrigerants, but has the advantage of being reusable after the interior is flushed clean.

 

Serpentine

This type of condenser was very popular in early production vehicles with R12 refrigerant for air conditioning. Where space under the hood is limited, especially in small front wheel drive vehicles, the serpentine condenser is the OE design of choice. It is more efficient than 3/8-inch tube and fin condensers, and its all-aluminum construction provides durability, corrosion resistance and excellent tube-to-fin bonding. This design, like the tube and fin condenser, can be cleaned and reused and is not the best choice for modern R134a refrigerants.

 

Parallel Flow

Parallel flow condensers are widely used in new vehicles and offer many advantages. Its C.A.B. brazed all aluminum construction is extremely durable, corrosion resistant and provides the additional efficiency needed for limited air flow applications and newer R-134a systems. This design has the largest surface area per unit volume of the three designs and therefore the highest efficiency. It is the best choice for R134a systems, but the disadvantage is that this unit is not washable and must be replaced when the system becomes contaminated or has debris.

How to choose the right car condenser？

The air conditioning system of your car is one of the hardest working systems in your vehicle. Therefore, it is important to choose the right replacement parts.

How to make sure you're getting a quality air conditioning condenser and fan.

Verify compatibility. The manufacturer's website or your owner's manual will provide you with the exact specifications you need to know to select a condenser and fan.

Consider durability. Condenser fins may be made of brass, aluminum or copper. Brass and copper cool well, but aluminum is resistant to corrosion and decay, so it's a compromise. Condensers and fans should ideally last for the rest of your car's life.

Aftermarket vs. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). There are pros and cons to each. Because aftermarket parts manufacturers often redesign parts to adjust for design flaws, these can often be equal or higher quality options. However, with OEM, you know exactly what you are getting