How do air conditioners work?
Queensland can certainly make air conditioning a necessity at times! The only relief from those long summer days can be your air conditioner, but how do those boxes work their magic?!
Firstly, an air conditioner doesn’t make cool air but actually removes heat from inside a room and pumps it outdoors. Air conditioning was actually invented by accident by an engineer called Willis Carrier. Originally, Carrier designed the unit to dehumidify the air at a paper plant as the warm moisture would be absorbed by the paper and make it difficult to print on. He blew the air across chilled pipes as cool air can’t carry as much moisture as warm and this dehumidified the air and kept the paper dry. This process had the added benefit of cool air so air conditioning had been created and it wasn’t long before aircon systems were being implemented.
Air conditioners cool your home by utilising the same simple scientific principle as the refrigerator does. But, with some clever mechanical techniques added to the mix for extra efficiency, it can reduce ambient air temperature dramatically and quickly. But how does it do this? Let's take a look at the inner workings of air conditioners…
Air conditioning fundamentals
Air conditioners employ a process known as phase conversion to chill the air. By forcing chemical compounds to evaporate and condense on repeat in a set of coils, heat is absorbed from the surrounding environment. These chemical compounds are refrigerants, which change their state at comparatively low temperatures. Air conditioners also contain fans that blow the warm air over the coils filled with refrigerant.
When warm air passes over cold evaporator coils full of refrigerant liquid, heat is absorbed as it changes state - becoming gas. This needs compressing back into a liquid again in order for cooling efficiency; but this creates unwanted extra heat which then has help from condenser coils and another fan being evacuated outdoors. In short: an endless cycle begins with absorption of heat transforming refrigerant's phase between gaseous / liquid states before exiting outside where temperature decreases flow conversion once more.
It is this ingenious use of science that provides us sweet relief during hot summer days.
Air conditioner components & how they work
No matter the type of air conditioner; split system or ducted, they are made up of the same components. We’ve broken the components down to explain the purpose of each part:
Evaporator - Receives the liquid refrigerant
The evaporator is a coil in the air conditioning unit with refrigerant flowing through it. A fan draws in the warm air over the cooling evaporator coils, which absorb the heat from the air. As the refrigerant absorbs the heat, it changes from a liquid to a gas. It then moves to the compressor.
Compressor - A pump that pressurises the refrigerant
What happens to the heat accumulated inside? It moves through the tubes to the compressor. The main job of the compressor is to compress the low-pressure refrigerant gas into high-pressure refrigerant gas, which allows the heat to be released outside.
Condenser - Facilitates heat transfer
The condenser is also a coil and it receives the hot, compressed refrigerant gas from the compressor. With another fan, it pushes the heat into the outside air. This causes the refrigerant to condense from a gas back to liquid.
Expansion Valve - Regulates refrigerant flow into the evaporator
The final part is the expansion valve. It works to control the flow of the refrigerant into the evaporator and the cycle starts all over again. If you are using your air conditioning unit to heat a room, the process is exactly the same but in reverse.
What is a refrigerant?
Refrigerants are key for the air conditioning process. They’re so important because of their ability to change between gas and liquid states with ease. The most common refrigerant for both residential and commercial systems is R-32. R-32 has a lifespan of 7 to 17 years and is the environmentally and o-zone friendly choice of refrigerant. The level of refrigerant should remain at a constant level through the cooling process unless there is a leak.
Signs of a refrigerant leak:
- The unit is producing less cool air than usual
- It is blowing warm air instead of cool
- You can hear a hissing sound from the unit
- Your electricity bills are consistently much higher
Refrigerant leaks are dangerous so if you are experiencing any of the above, contact a qualified technician to get it repaired.
Health benefits of air conditioning
Although aircon cools the air in your home, this is not its only job as they provide health benefits too; such as:
- Filtering allergens and dust particles to clean the air that you breathe
- Reduce asthma attacks
- Dehumidify the air
- Keeping you cool to avoid heat stroke
- Low temperatures reduce your risk of dehydration due to not sweating as much
- Better sleep due to constant temperature
Types of air conditioning systems
There are different types of air conditioners available, so it is important to learn about each to ensure you choose the most suitable for your property and needs.
Air Conditioning Specialists
If you are thinking about purchasing, installing, repairing or servicing your air conditioning, give All Purpose Air Conditioning a call for expert advice at 0435 031 169 or complete our online enquiry form.
References:
http://daikin.com.au/articles/category-1/split-system-features-to-consider
https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/us/products/air-conditioners/how-do-air-conditioners-work/
https://home.howstuffworks.com/ac.htm