Do You Know How Your Air Conditioner Works?

To most of us, we just accept that our air conditioning unit cools the home but how many of us really understand how it works?

This life-changing invention revolutionized the way we all live, especially here in Florida. Before the air conditioning, life here was very different, especially in the summer months.

Air conditioners work by the same principles as refrigerators. There are two main components in the system, the condensing coil, and the evaporating coil, and the way in which the coolant moves between these components is what cools the air to be distributed through the home.

Air conditioners require a coolant, which is a chemical that can easily convert from liquid to gas and back again.  It’s this coolant that absorbs heat from the air inside the building and then releases it outside.  The refrigeration system manipulates the coolant in order to carry out this process.

The first step in cooling is that the compressor builds up pressure and temperature of the coolant by squeezing it down so that its molecules are all tightly packed.  This highly compressed fluid is shunted to the condenser.  This is where the coolant cools off, losing energy, and condenses to a liquid.  This liquid is then pushed through the expansion valve into the evaporator. 

As the compressed liquid passes through the narrow opening, the pressure drops so that the liquid evaporates into a gas.  During the evaporation process, it absorbs heat from the air, allowing the molecules to separate into a gaseous form.  It is here that the air used to cool the house is generated.  That cool air is distributed throughout the house, but the coolant, once again in a cool, gaseous form, is sent back to the compressor to begin the cycle over again.

The process is relatively simple, and it relies on the chemistry and physics of pressure and phase changing that the coolant goes through, so it is very reliable.  However, the compressor, condenser, and evaporator are all integral parts that must be maintained and kept in good working order so that the system remains efficient.

At All Day Air Cooling and Heating, our technicians are experienced with all the parts of an air conditioning system.  If you’re in the Southwest Florida area, contact us today at (239) 357-0727 with any questions you have about your own air conditioner or cooling/heating needs. www.alldayaircooling.com.

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