A properly functioning condenser will first:

A properly functioning condenser in a refrigeration system operates by first de-superheating and then sub-cooling the vapor refrigerant.

In typical refrigeration cycles, the refrigerant enters the condenser as a high-pressure vapor after leaving the compressor. The first task of the condenser is to cool this vapor sufficiently to change its state from vapor to liquid. This initial cooling phase is known as de-superheating, where the temperature of the vapor drops while it still remains in the gaseous state before it begins to condense into a liquid.

Once the vapor has been de-superheated, it reaches the point where it begins to condense. After the refrigerant vapor has turned into liquid, further cooling occurs, which is referred to as sub-cooling. This sub-cooling phase ensures that the refrigerant is fully in liquid form before it leaves the condenser and is sent to the expansion device.

De-superheating is essential for efficient heat transfer in the condenser, as it ensures the vapor's temperature is lowered to the saturation point, where it can transition to a liquid phase effectively. Following this, the removal of additional heat through sub-cooling enhances the performance of the cooling cycle and ensures that the refrigerant is in the most suitable condition for the next stage