Today we are going to talk about how your A/C system works. The air conditioning system in your car is compromised of a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, receiver/drier, and evaporator. Refrigerant (also known as freon) is compressed in the compressor and turns into a gas. In the condenser, this gas is cooled to a liquid state and travels to the expansion valve. As the liquid refrigerant goes through the expansion valve, it rapidly cools in the evaporator. A fan blows over the evaporator and cools the air that blows out of your vents. The receiver/drier separates gas and liquid.
A/C Basics and Principles of how your A/C system works
To understand How your A/C system works, we must first understand the nature of heat. For a simple definition, we may say that heat is energy. The meshing of gears, and the turning of wheels, cause friction which results in heat. Heat in either extreme will be uncomfortable. The control of temperature means the control of comfort. Air conditioning is a method of controlling heat. All substances contain heat. Something feels hot when it is warmer than our body temperature. When something contains less heat than our bodies, it feels cold. Cold is merely the removal of some heat. Science tells us that a measurement called “Absolute Zero” is the point at which all heat is removed from an object (approximately -273 C). Any substance above absolute zero temperature contains some heat.
