A waterless air condenser is a condenser that uses the shape of the glassware to induce condensation. The heat is then carried away by air convection. This is in contrast to water condensers that pump water around or circulate water through the glassware to carry away heat. Although water can carry away more heat than air in any given time period, by reducing the speed of the vapor and inducing turbulent flow, the performance of a water condenser can match that of an air condenser while substantially reducing running costs.
Our CondenSyn waterless air condensers set up in tandem with our DrySyn Multi and magnetic stirrer hotplate
Benefits of a waterless condenser:
The key benefit of a waterless air condenser is that it requires no water or additional energy to operate, which makes it more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable, while also eliminating the risk of flooding in the lab. Asynt’s CondenSyn achieves this while maintaining the same performance as a Liebig condenser.
How does a waterless condenser work?
A waterless air condenser induces condensation of vapor via the effect of its shape on fluid dynamics. In the case of our CondenSyn, a turbulent flow is created inside the condenser. This increases the number of vapor molecules that come into contact with the glassware by up to five times, thereby increasing the rate of heat transfer, cooling, and condensing the vapor.
Click the thumbnail above for our video on the CondenSyn
What inspired Asynt’s CondenSyn design?
Asynt’s CondenSyn design was originally inspired by the hyperboloid shape of power station cooling towers. These towers are designed to dissipate waste heat created by the plant’s turbine. The shape of each tower helps encourage an effective flow of air to support the transfer of heat. The wide base helps increase air intake, the narrower middle creates a stack effect that assists with airflow, and the wide top produces a slower, more turbulent flow that helps the water vapor dissipate.
Hyperboloid cooling towers inspired Asynt’s CondenSyn Design
Conclusion:
Waterless air condensers represent an excellent way to improve the sustainability of your lab while reducing costs and eliminating flood risk. Even with the initial investment, we find that our CondenSyn soon pays for itself through water savings (with an average saving of 2 litres per minute).
If you’d like to know more about the CondenSyn waterless air condenser, don’t hesitate to get in touch! We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and help you choose the right CondenSyn specification for your lab.
