What's the difference between condensing unit and condenser?

[amy]

I'm new in refrigeration.

Any one could explain the difference between condensing unit and condenser?

it's used for soda storage.

Thanks!

[frank]

A condenser is a series of pipes forming a coil where the high pressure refrigerant is introduced, gives up it's heat to below saturation point and becomes liquid refrigerant. To remove the heat, a fan or other means is employed.

A condensing unit consists of the condenser coil, compressor, fan, pipework connecting these items, an electrical control circuit and maybe some other items, such as reversing valve.

[Sandro Baptista]

Amy, Adding info to the Frank's post we can say that the condensing unit is the refrigerant equipment that is connected on the high pressure side which is responsible to dissipate the heat from the cold side and feed the evaporator/expansion valve with refrigerant condensed (high pressure) liquid.

[macca33]

In layman's terms, the condenser is just the coil or heat exchanger, usually located outside, which gets rid of the unwanted heat. Whereas a condensing unit usually has a fan motor/s, a compressor and a liquid receiver aswel as the condensing coil.