How Does an Air Conditioner Work?

It is always fascinating to know how things around us work. Air conditioner is one the most used machine around the world, especially in hot climate, for bringing room temperature down to comfortable margins. However, very little is known to the user about how it works. If you want to know ‘how does air conditioning work?’, then this article is for you.

Air conditioning system works much the same as refrigeration system. The basic concept in both the systems is the same except that refrigeration generally brings the temperature drastically down in a small and closed space while air conditioning generally brings temperature down to comfortable levels in larger spaces. However, the most common principle in both the systems is the use of compressor and condenser. Also, a chemical is used in both the processes. This chemical converts to gas and liquid form quickly thus helping in bringing the temperature down.z

To understand the basic function of this chemical, you can consider it like an agent which propels the heat from the inside of a room to the outside environment. This is done in cycles over and over again. The main components of an air conditioning system include a compressor, a condenser and an evaporator.

The chemical, which begins as a fluid, enter the compressor. At this stage it is a cool low pressure gas. The compressor applies pressure on the fluid. This leads the liquid turn to gas owing to the higher energy state it has been brought to.

Its temperature is also raised in the process. This hot gas is routed into the condenser. The condenser works more or less like the radiator of a car and helps to dispose of the heat into the environment. The gas, which is now once again converted to liquid, exits the condenser. Its temperature is lower now as it has dissipated heat. This liquid now enters the evaporator through a narrow opening. Once again, the liquid changes to gas and extracts heat from the room air. When it gets heated, it again turns to gas and the complete cycle is repeated. There’s a suction pump in the air conditioner which sucks the hot air of the room. After the complete process, cold air is released into the room once again. How air conditioners work is just one of the amazing principles of science, there’s more if you want to know.

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