Learning how something works is extremely helpful. AC basic functions are simple and easy to understand. And when you know them, you can care for the equipment better, detect issues, communicate to your AC technicians with ease, and even troubleshoot minor problems yourself.
Every manufacturer will make their air conditioner split system a little differently, but they all operate using the same processes. HVAC cooling equipment works with the employment of simple physics principles that you probably learned in elementary school.
You need to know the nitty-gritty details, like how the evaporator coil draws out the moisture from the air and cools it simultaneously and what the big unit outside actually does.
So, how does an AC System work? Let’s dive in and discuss.
Getting Technical
When air travels through the HVAC system there are multiple parts involved. The air circulation itself is only a small part of the entire cycle that a cooling system goes through.
What Happens
- The air is sucked in through the intake vents by a fan in the furnace or air handler. Then it passes through the evaporator coils. These coils sit in the unit on top of or beside your air handler or furnace on the inside of your home.
- The blower fan of the air handler or furnace pushes the air through the evaporator coils that sit on top of it. As the air flows past the coils, it cools. This cooled air is blown through the vents distributed throughout your home.
How it Works
The second law of thermodynamics states that heat flows to lower temperatures objects and never the reverse. And the larger the gap between temperatures, the faster the heat will transfer to the cold object.
So the frigid evaporator coils filled with refrigerant draws in the heat as the air passes through them.
What Happens Next
The refrigerant that absorbs the heat becomes a hot gas. Now, it needs to release that heat outdoors. The refrigerant travels outside to the condensing unit. This large humming appliance contains the:
- Condenser Coils
- Condenser Fan Motor
- Compressor
- Fan
How It Works
The compressor in the condensing unit pressurizes the refrigerant. The Gay-Lussac’s Law of physics states that when pressure increases, temperatures increase also. So by creating pressure on the refrigerant, it returns it to a liquid state, but a hotter liquid.
Now the refrigerant goes through the condenser coils and passes some of its heat to them. The fan blows over the coils, causing a percentage of the heat to leave the unit in a rush of hot air.
What Happens Next
A pump in the compressor unit sends it back inside, but before it touches the evaporator unit, it goes through a metering device that regulates the refrigerant. Yours will either be a thermal expansion valve or capillary tube.
How it Works
The metering device forces the super pressurized refrigerant through a tiny hole that causes the pressure to lower. Referring back to the Gay-Lussac’s Law of physics, as the pressure lowers, the temperature lowers too. So by reducing the pressure, it becomes frigid again.
Now it’s ready to start the cycle all over again and pass through the evaporator coils!
How Does an AC System Work and Promote Higher Air Quality?
But cooling the air isn’t the only thing your air conditioner does well. It also functions to clean the air in your home.
Imagine for a moment that you had superhuman vision and could see air and microorganisms with the naked eye. With your new superpower, you can see the oxygen and carbon floating around you, but what’s that other stuff floating with it? Tiny particles of:
- Dust
- Bacteria
- Spores
- Dander
- Pollen
- Pollutants
- And even viruses
Yuck!
And that’s just outdoors.
Inside, the muck in the air builds up even more because the wind isn’t blowing it around. Your clothes, furniture, pets, cooking, and cleaning releases more and more particles and they have no place to go.
Without an HVAC system in place and closed windows, the air is unhealthy because it lacks ventilation and air circulation.
But with an efficient HVAC system in place, you would see more air and less “stuff” riding on it!
Why?
The air is forced to move around. Warm, dirty, and humid air is pulled through intake vents, then through the HVAC system and out the exhaust vents. But once the air has been forced through the furnace filter and perhaps a UV light or two, it’s good as new and ready to be breathed by happy, healthy people.
Air Conditioner Experts at Your Service
The team at Action Air Conditioning wants to demystify your HVAC system for you. How an AC system works is relatively easy to understand, but the machinery involved is complicated.
However, a trained professional should always service, repair, or install your AC units for safety’s sake, and to receive the most energy-efficient results. Improper handling is the #1 reason for air conditioning malfunction and failure.
Action Air Conditioning looks out for its customers with honesty, integrity, and reliability. You can count on us to give you the truth about your HVAC system and be there when you need it most. If you have an AC question or need a trained technician at your side, contact us today!