Contact condenser

(mechanical engineering) A device in which a vapor, such as steam, is brought into direct contact with a cooling liquid, such as water, and is condensed by giving up its latent heat to the liquid. Also known as direct-contact condenser.

A device in which a vapor is brought into direct contact with a cooling liquid and condensed by giving up its latent heat to the liquid. In almost all cases the cooling liquid is water, and the condensing vapor is steam. Contact condensers are classified as jet, barometric, and ejector condensers. In all three types the steam and cooling water are mixed in a condensing chamber and withdrawn together. Noncondensable gases are removed separately from the jet condenser, entrained in the cooling water of the ejector condenser, and removed either separately or entrained in the barometric condenser. The jet condenser requires a pump to remove the mixture of condensate and cooling water and a vacuum breaker to avoid accidental flooding. The barometric condenser is self-draining. The ejector condenser converts the energy of high-velocity injection water to pressure in order to discharge the water, condensate, and noncondensables at atmospheric pressure. See also Vapor condenser.