Predicting the Performance of an Evaporative Condenser

A simple analytical method, based on the method of Parker and Treybal (1961) for evaporative coolers, was developed to predict the performance of evaporative condensers. The transfer coefficients of the model were predicted from standard correlations in the literature or those determined by Parker and Treybal for evaporative coolers. Field tests were performed on an evaporative condenser and the measured and predicted heat loads and recirculating water temperature were compared. It was found that the heat load was underpredicted by about 30 percent and the water temperature by 3°C. A change in U_o of a factor of 1.9 adequately predicts both the heat load and sump temperature.