How does air conditioning work?

Air conditioning systems are found in every office, home, and commercial building, providing welcome relief from the intense heat. Have you ever wondered how these systems work? This article will give you an insight into the inner workings of a typical air conditioning system.

How does air conditioning work?

An air conditioning system operates in a cycle where a special substance, the refrigerant, is repeatedly heated and cooled. Refrigerants have a low vapor temperature, meaning they can change from liquid to gas relatively easily, absorbing heat to initiate this transformation and consequently cooling the surrounding air. To allow this transition to be efficient and effective, an air conditioning system consists of four main components.

Air conditioning system components:

A typical air conditioning system, whether for a large commercial structure or a small residential installation, consists of four main parts. These parts are the compressor and condenser located outside the building, the evaporator inside, and the expansion valve in the middle.

• The compressor: The compressor puts the refrigerant, which is in a gaseous state at this stage, under pressure. As a result of the increased pressure, the temperature of the refrigerant also increases.
• Condenser: In the condenser, the refrigerant cools and allows heat to dissipate outside the house or building. This causes the refrigerant to return to its liquid state. This cooled refrigerant is then pumped into your property.
• Expansion valve: The liquid refrigerant is still under high pressure when it leaves the condenser. As it passes through the expansion valve, the liquid expands and its pressure decreases.
• Evaporator: The low-pressure liquid readily evaporates into a gas within the evaporator by absorbing heat from the room, thus cooling the air. An air conditioning unit often also includes a fan to better distribute the cooled air throughout the room.
  A cool evaporator can also remove moisture from the air. Moisture contributes to increased room temperature, making you feel warmer. By cooling the overall air temperature, water vapor in the air condenses, and many air conditioning units include a dehumidifier for this reason.

Conclusion on adaptation

In short, air conditioning works as a cooling cycle through the system's four steps: compression , condensation , expansion , and evaporation. The refrigerant evaporates and absorbs heat from inside your property, compresses it, then expels the heat to the outside, and condenses and cools again as a result.