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

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.