Condensers in refrigeration practice: In a shell-and-coil condenser, which fluid flows in the shell and which flows inside the coil?

Introduction / Context:
Shell-and-coil condensers are compact heat exchangers used particularly in light commercial and small industrial refrigeration systems. Understanding flow arrangement is crucial for maintenance and troubleshooting.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Shell-and-coil construction: a helical or coiled tube bundle inside a closed shell.
• One side carries refrigerant vapor that condenses on the outside of the coil.
• The other side circulates cooling water through the inside of the coil.

Concept / Approach:
For good heat transfer and fouling control, water is routed through smooth tubing (the coil). The refrigerant condenses on the coil's external surface inside the shell, allowing vapor distribution, condensate drainage, and oil management. This arrangement also keeps water under pressure integrity within tubing, reducing contamination risk.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Manufacturer datasheets depict inlets/outlets for water on tube connections; shell connections are for refrigerant discharge and liquid drain.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Water in the shell would complicate scaling control and leak management.
• “Mixed in the shell” is impossible; heat exchangers keep fluids separated.
• Ammonia or Freon selection does not reverse the basic coil-shell assignment.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing shell-and-coil with shell-and-tube; both typically carry water inside tubes and refrigerant on the shell side.

Final Answer:
False — water in the coil, refrigerant in the shell