Do you ever wonder how air conditioning works? It's a complex process, but understanding the basics can help you make informed decisions about your home's cooling system. In this article, we'll explain the step-by-step process of how air conditioning works and the different types of air conditioning systems available. When warm air from inside your home enters through a vent, it blows over the cold coil of the evaporator. This coil is made up of a series of pipes connected to a furnace or air handler that blows indoor air through it.
As the liquid refrigerant inside the evaporator coil is converted to gas, heat from the indoor air is absorbed into the refrigerant, thereby cooling the air as it passes over the coil. After passing through the refrigerant, the air passes to the compressor, increasing the pressure on the now-hot refrigerant. More elaborate air conditioners use long ducts to channel hot or cold air throughout the building, but they still operate essentially the same way. As in normal air conditioning, the refrigerant cycles between gas and liquid, high and low pressure, and high and low temperature. The fan located in the outdoor unit blows outdoor air over the hot coil, transferring heat from the coolant to the outside air. There are three main types of air conditioning systems: split system air conditioning, packaged air conditioning and ductless air conditioning.
Split system air conditioners cool only one room in a house. Packaged air conditioners are best for homeowners who want to have a central air conditioning system but don't have enough indoor space for an air conditioner. Ductless air conditioners are similar to split system units but don't require ducts. The cooling process begins when the thermostat detects that it is necessary to lower the air temperature and sends signals to the components of the air conditioning system, both inside and outside the house, to start working. To maintain cooling efficiently, the air conditioner has to convert the refrigerant gas back to liquid. The installation of this unit is similar to that of a central air conditioner, which has an indoor unit and an outdoor unit.
Clean or replace your air conditioning system filter(s) every one to two months during the cooling season. In summary, air conditioning units work by drawing warm air from inside your home and pumping it outside while releasing cold air back into your room, reducing its temperature. On its way through your system, it has three main stages: The evaporator contains subcooled refrigerant and blows cold and dry air into your room; The condenser contains high-temperature gas which collects heat as it passes through; And finally, The fan located in the outdoor unit blows outdoor air over the hot coil transferring heat from coolant to outside.
