Condenser HVAC: Description and Operation

NOTE: There are two versions of the Saab 900 condenser: 16 and 20 mm. The 20 mm condenser is used in hot countries.

Technical Description
The purpose of the condenser is to cool the gaseous refrigerant so that it condenses into a liquid. To do this as efficiently as possible, the refrigerant flows in four coils through the condenser. The first coil is divided into 14 channels, the second coil into 9, the third into 7 and the fourth and last consists of 4 channels. This design makes it possible to minimize the size of the condenser without any loss of capacity.

Mode Of Operation
The hot, high-pressure refrigerant is pumped by the compressor into the condenser's coiled tubes. The coiled tubes are fitted with cooling flanges around which air is circulated by the ventilation fan and the airstream. As heat is always transferred from a warmer to a cooler object, the hot refrigerant will transfer some of its heat to the cooler air. The hot, gaseous refrigerant will then lose some of its heat, start to condense and thus become a liquid.