condensates

Condensate is a term used for substances that form when a gas or vapor transforms into a denser phase, typically a liquid or solid. In physics, it is also used to describe states of matter in which a macroscopic number of particles occupy the same quantum state, producing quantum coherence across the system. The most famous example is the Bose-Einstein condensate, produced in bosonic systems at ultracold temperatures, where properties such as superfluidity and long-range coherence emerge. Related quantum condensates include fermionic condensates, polariton condensates, and superconducting condensates, which arise under different conditions and particle statistics.

Natural gas condensate refers to a hydrocarbon liquid that forms from a gas reservoir when gas cools or is depressurized. It is typically lighter than crude oil and consists mainly of pentane and heavier hydrocarbons. Condensate can be separated at the surface and used as a feedstock for refineries or as a refinery intermediate. Gas-condensate reservoirs can produce both gas and liquid condensate.

In steam systems, condensate is the liquid water that forms when steam cools and loses energy. It must be removed to protect equipment and to recover latent heat, improving energy efficiency. Condensate is often returned to boilers as feedwater, sometimes after treatment to remove dissolved gases to prevent corrosion.

In condensed matter physics and photonics, condensates such as exciton-polariton condensates in semiconductors and ultracold atomic Bose-Einstein condensates are studied to explore quantum fluids, coherence, and phase transitions. Fermionic condensates, formed by paired fermions, and superconducting condensates, where electrons form Cooper pairs, represent related phenomena in different systems.