Evaporative Condenser

Definition

A heat-rejection unit that sprays basin water across evaporator coils and plastic fill to maximize air-water contact before cascading back into the basin.

Water is pumped from the basin to the top of the unit, sprayed across the coils, distributed over the fill, and returned to the basin. The design is efficient with minimal moving parts, but its enormous wetted surface drives CO2 stripping and, when pH control fails, makes the whole unit a scaling target. It is the field setting in which the author shoveled out roughly 2,000 pounds of calcium carbonate scale.

Related concepts

Acid Feed for Scale Control · CO2 Stripping in Cooling Towers · Air-Water Contact Surface Area

---

Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🛠️ operations