Portable Air Conditioning

Although most of us do own an air conditioner we hardly have an understanding on how it works. May be we have given it a thought but didn’t quite know where to look for an answer, or even if we tried we found the explanation too technical to make proper sense. Or we just didn’t care. What we will attempt here is to describe the process of air conditioning, specifically car air conditioning, and that in a simple and lucid manner so that even a novice can make sense of what we are talking about.

It should be understood that the basic working principle of all air conditioners, be it a window air conditioner or an auto air conditioner, is the same. There are four fundamental processes in physics that we have all read of in our schools which are involved in the working of an air conditioner. The four processes are – evaporation, condensation, compression and expansion.

Let us now go to the details of the workings of an auto air conditioner. We will take it component by component.

Compressor: This is like the heart of the air conditioning unit. When you turn on the air conditioner in your car the compressor kicks in and pumps the refrigerant vapor to the condenser. The vapor at this stage is under extremely high pressure.

Condenser: This is the device which converts the high pressure refrigerant vapor into a liquid. Since the vapor is condensed into a liquid a lot of heat is generated. This extra heat is removed from the condenser by the air that flows out.

Receiver: The liquefied refrigerant next moves to the receiver also referred to as the drier at times. It is like a small reservoir and here any excess moisture that has escaped into the refrigerant is removed. This is because if moisture is allowed to escape it can severely damage the unit with ice crystals being formed causing blockages.

Expansion Valve: The refrigerant, now free of any moisture, next flows into the expansion valve where the high pressure on the refrigerant is removed and it again changes from the liquid state to vapor.

Evaporator: Here the refrigerant vapor absorbs the heat from the air inside the car. On the other hand the blower fan inside the passenger compartment pushes the air across the outside of the evaporator and hence cold air is circulated inside the car.

Everyone knows what it is like to feel the heat in the summer and try to find a way to escape. This is exactly why air conditioners have become not only popular but also necessary in homes all across the world. While an infinite number of people own an air conditioner, not many people actually know or understand the inner workings of air conditioners.

Air conditioners are essentially an appliance that extracts heat from or a room or building almost in the same way that a refrigerator works. The refrigeration system is a complete and complicated mechanism that removes heat, ventilates the room and introduces cooler air into the surrounding area. While many people only relate the system to hot weather, an air conditioner can be used to provide comfort in cold weather as well within a house, building, apartment or even a car.

The common misconception about air conditioners is that they work by providing and supplying cool air. Essentially what is actually happening is that the warm air is being removed and converted into colder air and then put back into the area where the conditioner is intended to work. This system is consistently used until the temperature reaches the desired levels that you have set through a thermostat.

In the simplest terms, an air conditioner is a refrigerator without the box that provides insulation. The main cycle is powered by a Freon cycle that uses the basics of evaporation. This cycle essentially works in an air conditioner as follows:

A compressor within the air conditioner compresses Freon gas that is cool. This forces the gas to become hot and extremely high pressured.

The hot gas that is created then is distributed through a large set od coils so that is can easily dissipate the heat. This allows the heated gas to become a liquid by the end of the whole process.

This produced liquid then is processed through a valve that provides expansion. Through this extra process the liquid is once again turned into a cold lower pressure form of gas. So the gas turns to liquid and then by the end comes full circle and turns back into a gas.

The cooled gas then passes through another set of coils that absorbds the heat within the room and substantially cools down the air in the surrounding area.

While the main purpose of air conditioners is to provide comfort to people within the space, it can also be used to keep air well circulated and even keeps air clean within the designated area. Air conditioners often comewith filter units that help alleviate and remove dust and allergenics from the air inside the building. This process can also help to dehumidify the room and remove excess moisture from the building which can help make it easier to breathe and ensure that mold is not produced.