How The Air Conditioning System Works

Air conditioning is a method that is used so as to change the properties of air within a certain area. It is usually aimed at changing the temperature and humidity to more favorable conditions. The process can vary from cooling, heating or even disinfection to modify the prevailing conditions.

The most common use of the equipment is for refrigeration to reduce the temperature of indoor air. It uses a process called phase conversion whereby a liquid is converted to a gas and during this process it absorbs the surrounding heat. This process is exploited by the use of special chemical compounds that continually evaporate and condense in a closed system of coils.

The compounds in use have special properties that enable them to undergo such changes at relatively low temperatures. By means of a fan the cold air generated by these compounds cools the warm interior air. There is a whole system of piping in these conditioners through which the indoor air is passed through to reduce its temperature.

The refrigeration process works in a very simple manner. As the warmer indoor air is passed through the ducts, the compounds inside absorb heat as they changes from liquid to gas. However, these compounds have to be reverted back to liquid state which is achieved by compressing the gas under high pressure. This leads to release of heat which is evacuated to the exterior by a different fan. Thus the process is endlessly repeated.

While the main function of the device may be to act as a coolant and to monitor and regulate temperature via a thermostat, it has a number of other tasks. It has a filter that is able to remover particles from the air. It is also a dehumidifier since this is a property of air that is directly connected to temperature. During the cooling of humid air, a portion of its moisture is also released thus one may at times find the conditioner discharging water.

A conditioner is composed of various components. The compressor is the most important section of the system. Its task is to harbor the refrigerant compound as well as to maintain the internal pressure of the surrounding based on the local temperature. The condenser is where the refrigerant as gas goes to once it is out of the compressor. It is where the actual cooling takes place as the gas is converted back to liquid.

The evaporator coil is where the actual cooling comes from. As the liquid is transformed into gas, the output is a gas that is cool which is used to in turn cool the indoor air that is being passed through the system ducts. The refrigerant is then taken back to the compressor and the process is repeated.

There are different types of coolers available in the market. The window and through well systems are used in single rooms and usually the evaporative unit is inside and the condensing unit is found in the exterior. Evaporative coolers are most common in dry climates and they are relatively simple to use and maintain. One can also find portable systems that can be transferred from one point to another as well as heat pumps which reverse the refrigeration cycle in order to heat the surroundings.