Many people have completely different perceptions of what water cooled air conditioning means. While some think this involves a lot of pipes running through their rooms, others think water cooled means blowing steam through the vets. However, water cooled air conditioning is completely different from any of these.

Traditional air conditioners comprises of two parts, mainly the unit inside the room through which the cold air flows inside and there is also another unit that has to be placed outside. The outside unit houses the condenser which is a device responsible for cooling the air inside the room. The condenser works at a very high speed and hence creates a lot of heat. In a conventional system the condenser is cooled by air, that is why it has a big fan and needs to be kept outside the house. But when you opt for a water-cooled air conditioner then the condenser gets cooled by water. The system works by allowing cold water to pass over the condenser in a controlled manner. This removes the necessity of keeping the condenser outside.

Many homes have space restrictions and cannot get a conventional air conditioner because they do not have enough space to set up an outside unit. You may need prior permission for placing an outdoor unit. But with a water-cooled air conditioner you can easily keep it inside the room in a small cabinet or similar space.

Better air conditioning with water cooled air conditioner

When it comes to air conditioners, water cooled air conditioners are much superior to traditional air conditioners. Not only is it more efficient but it is also durable. It is efficient because it can work under lower condensing temperatures. This because water has a lower specific heat as compared to air which is the primary coolant in traditional systems. This is why water is a better medium for cooling the condenser than air. But water cooled air conditioners can also be expensive depending on the design.

Here are a few common designs that are available and their applications.

Tube within a tube: This is a common design used for industrial grade air conditioners. This is an expensive system that is usually used in commercial spaces. Here a tube is inserted through an outer tube. Then these tubes are coiled around the condenser to save space. The water flowing through the inner tube is used to cool the refrigerant or coolant that flows through the outer tube. The liquids flow in opposite directions so that the temperature is even throughout the tube. This mechanism is called counter flow arrangement and it is a great way to keep the difference in temperature between the two liquid consistent.  

Shell and coil water cooled air conditioner: A shell and coil system works very well and is becoming very popular these days. It consists of a copper coil inside a shell; while the water flows through the coil it keeps the refrigerant gas inside the shell cool. The hot air from the condenser is fed through the top of the shell. As the air goes down it comes in contact with the cold water inside the coil and this cools down the air. The gas gets further cooled down at the bottom of the shell. However, the inner tubes cannot be cleaned manually. Since the condenser is in the shape of a coil it is impossible to reach inside it and clean it manually. This is why the deposits made inside the coil but the flowing water has to be cleaned chemically. The chemical is flushed down the coil during servicing and it breaks down the mineral deposits that are made on the inside of the coil. This is important because without regular cleaning the coil may get blocked resulting in inefficient cooling.

Shell and tube water cooled air conditioner: This type of condenser is very similar to the shell and coil cooling system. Here the steel shell is filled with copper tubes instead of coils. Similar to the previous system the water is passed through the tubes and this cools the refrigerant. It flows from the top and gets cooler as it nears the bottom of the shell.  The shell is also used as a receiver in this condenser system. The cooled refrigerant is further channeled out from the condenser to be used in the next stage of the cooling process. Unlike the previous systems, the tubes can be taken outside the shell for proper cleaning.  The tubes are taken out and cleaned for mineral deposits during the service of the air conditioner. However, this system is fairly expensive and the components used in shell and tube cooling system have be very high grade. This is why it is usually used in higher capacity water cooled air conditioning system.

Water used in water cooled air conditioning systems: The water used in cooling the condenser need not be thrown away in ponds or through drains as a waste product. Instead the water can be cooled and reused over and over again. Usually the hot water is cooled in cooling towers located away from the air conditioning system. The cooling tower is used to dissipate the heat from the water into the atmosphere and is usually made from copper, stainless-steel or even plastic. Once the heat has been dissipated then the water can be again used to cool the condenser.