Title: Energy and exergy analysis of air conditioning system with air-cooled and evaporative cooled condenser: a comparative approach

Authors: R.S.N. Sahai; Umais M. Momin

Addresses: Department of General Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai-400019, India ' Department of General Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai-400019, India

Abstract: This study compares the energy and exergy performance of air-conditioning systems with air-cooled condensers and evaporative-cooled condensers using cellulose, banana fibre, jute, and cotton-thread as cooling pads under varying ambient temperatures. The air-conditioning systems with evaporative-cooled condensers using a cellulose pad showed the highest COP increase up to 27.27% and lowest total exergy destruction up to 1.139 kW, achieving an exergetic efficiency range of 24.456% to 19.87%, highlighting its superior thermodynamic performance. In both systems, the condenser was the least efficient component, with the highest efficiency defect at 42.8% in the air-cooled condenser, reduced to 35% using evaporative-cooled condenser with cellulose pad.

Keywords: air conditioning system; energy; exergy; evaporative cooling; evaporative cool condenser; evaporative cooling pad material.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2025.147745

International Journal of Exergy, 2025 Vol.47 No.4, pp.299 - 319

Received: 18 Feb 2025
Accepted: 17 May 2025
Published online: 29 Jul 2025 *

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