If needed, press the FAN key on the remote or control panel to adjust fan speeds. A fan blows the cold air into air ducts that distribute it throughout your home. The thermostat, which is typically mounted on a wall in a central location within the home, monitors and controls the temperature of the indoor air. Either running the pipe between the condenser and the air handler exceeds distance limitations (runs that are too long start to cause lubrication difficulties in the compressor), or the amount of duct work and the length of ducts becomes unmanageable. This cycle continues until your home has reached the desired temperature. This sends a signal to the capacitor. Still, the major parts of an air conditioner manage refrigerant and move air in two directions: indoors and outside: Evaporator - Receives the liquid refrigerant Condenser - Facilitates heat transfer Expansion valve - regulates refrigerant flow into the evaporator Compressor - A pump that pressurizes refrigerant I captured some of the images from AC Service Tech. It is air cooled type condenser having continuous coil of copper tubing, to which, aluminiumfins are attached to increase surface area, through which, more heat transfer can takeplace. Air should be fltered, as soon as, it enters the air conditioner. The relationship of pressure and temperature for R410A is shown in the below PT chart. The fan blade is usually made of plastic that is designed at a certain angle of attack so that it can push air effectively. With my experience, I want to help people solve their HVAC problems. It controls the humidity of a room as 30 to 65% is permitted while the temperature . A PT or pressure-temperature chart is an essential tool in a form of a table or chart, representing the relationship of pressure and temperature of a refrigerant to design and troubleshoot air conditioning systems. This air passes through filters where dust, lint and other airborne particles are collected. This air is pulled through one or more filters, where airborne particles such as dust and lint are removedin fact, sophisticated filters may remove microscopic pollutants as well. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Marshall Brain, Charles W. Bryant & Sara Elliott Cables must be protected with conduit to prevent the cable skin or cable jacket from damages and causing cable short circuit and more serious issues such as electrocute. A reversing valve (also known as 4-Way-Valve) is used to accomplish this. link to What is Bypass in Chilled Water Systems? Smallest Window AC; Energy Efficient Window AC; Quietest Window AC; Low Profile Window AC; Window AC For Large Rooms; Smart Window AC; Through-the-Wall AC; How Do Window AC Units Work? A typical air conditioning system, often referred to as central air or split-system air conditioning, normally includes the following: Source: U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Saver 101 Infographic. The condenser itself contains refrigerant, but its at a high temperature. The fresh air is cooled by evaporator coils, while coming from damper. It is the simplest form of an air conditioning system and is mounted on windows or walls. Besides, copper is always used as the refrigerant pipe to connect the condenser (outdoor unit) and the evaporator (indoor unit), and aluminum are often used as the fin of the condenser & evaporator coil because both of them are very good heat conductor. Copper pipe is always used to connect the indoor and outdoor unit of an air conditioner. Hence, an air conditioner must remove some of the moisture in the air to provide maximum comfort. It is the simplest form of an air conditioning system and is mounted on windows or walls. Refrigerant is used in an air conditioning system to transfer heat energy. An air conditioner goes through 4 processes; compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation. Air conditioning is the use of mechanical systems to achieve that control in such places as homes, offices, theaters, institutions, factories, airplanes, and automobiles. I've been working as a professional in the HVAC industry for more than 7 years, covering from design and installation to commissioning and maintenance. Carriers invention helped give rise to numerous industries that continue to power our economy today. You close the window down on the unit, plug it in and turn it on to get cool air. Compressor consumes the most power among the components of an air conditioner and it is the single most expensive component to replace. Each has its own specialized uses, but they all essentially do the same thing make it cool inside your home. why R32 is the best refrigerant for air conditioners, why copper pipes are used in air conditioning. After youre done reading, check out our free guide onthe best window AC unitwhere we show you what features to look for to find the perfect AC unit for your own home. This will be quite long so lets get started. Old. A window AC unit uses the same principles as any other type of air conditioning system. It is possible for air conditioners to make the air too dry? The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant gas and sends the refrigerant into the outdoor units condenser coil. At this point, it's time to think about a chilled-water system. The fan used may be propeller type or centrifugal type. Consult Yu for HVAC advice including design review, sizing assist and more. They require less invasive installation because, as their name suggests, they don't rely on ductwork to distribute chilled air. Air conditioning systems work very much in the same way as your standard refrigerator . That's not all it does, though. Too large a unit will not adequately remove humidity. Whether you are a design engineer, project engineer, operator or maintenance personnel, I'm sure you heard of the word/term bypass when dealing with chillers and chilled water systems. R22, R410A, and R32 are the common refrigerant used in residential air conditioners because of their unique chemical properties. The blower fan, on the other hand, has a speed that you can set. The air inside your room, out in the front of the air conditioner where the cooling coil is, thats what we call room air.. Fans are used in air conditioners to circulate air through the condenser and evaporator coil. If you take the cover off of an unplugged window unit, you'll find that it contains: The fans blow air over the coils to improve their ability to dissipate heat (to the outside air) and cold (to the room being cooled). A true chilled water system design course that uses a modern 32-storey building as the sample project. I enjoy working on air conditioners and ventilation fans because Malaysia is a very hot country. Step 1: Heat is absorbed by the evaporator coil The warm air inside your house is drawn in through a vent and blows over the cold evaporator coil. The condenser is the part of the AC thats outside the room. The hot air vents from the back of the unit, while the condenser coils and a fan cool and re-circulate indoor air. Step 2. Ill use R410A as the refrigerant to explain the PT chart and the operating pressure of an air conditioner. Most residential air conditioners are with a capacity of not more than 2.5HP. In this section, Ill introduce the 4 major components inside an air conditioner that perform the 4 processes mentioned earlier. To produce this article, I read books and journals to boil things down and organize the technical terms into simple language for easy understanding. Visit https://aircondlounge.com/shop to see all digital products sold on aircondlounge. This cooled fresh air isthen mixed With the room air. Condenser and evaporator coils are responsible for the condensation and evaporation process. There is no loose part or rattling noise. The capacitor has stored energy and sends a high voltage shock to the system (usually between 400 and 600 volts). 5. Commonly, there are two types of expansion valves: thermal expansion valves and electronic expansion valves. Once its cooled, the refrigerant first enters into the expansion valve, and then the evaporator, or cooling coil. WINDOW AIR CONDITIONER: Working Principle: The refrigerant vapour at high pressure and temperature is supplied by the compressor to the condenser. (see Privacy Policy), Visiting HVAC events and trade shows are one of the best way to equip yourself with the latest happenings in the air conditioning and refrigeration field. The biggest job an air conditioner has to do is to cool the indoor air. Air circulates back to the indoor unit of the air conditioner and passes through the chilling evaporator coil. And this process will continue to go on until the room temperature stays to the desired level. a thermostat that controls system operation, an outdoor unit that houses a fan, condenser coil and compressor, an indoor unit (typically either a furnace or fan coil) that houses the evaporator coil and fan to circulate the cooled air, copper tubing that allows refrigerant to flow between the indoor and outdoor units, an expansion valve the regulates the amount of refrigerant going into the evaporator coil, ductwork that allows air to circulate from the indoor unit out to the various living spaces and back to the indoor unit. In an air conditioning system, pipes are needed to transfer heat energy from indoor to outdoor. Skip this part, and the filter gets clogged. An air conditioner operates using the refrigeration cycle. This gives us a small commission at no additional cost to you and helps us continue producing more videos! For instance, a 1HP (horsepower) air conditioner will always have an airflow rate of about 350 cfm (cubic feet per minute). In this article, Ill be covering more than just the refrigeration cycle. Air Conditioner Wire Sizing Guide: Chart & Calculation, https://aircondlounge.com/category/buyer-guide/. If you take the cover off of an unplugged window unit, you'll find that it contains: A compressor To cool the room, a non-inverter air conditioner motor runs at full speed, then turns off once the room temperature reaches the desired level. Thus, cooling the room. The units are made small enough to fit into a standard window frame. 28 June 2011. Filter is used in an air conditioner to block dust and thus, simplify the cleaning process, maintain efficiency and prolong the lifespan of an air conditioner. The PCB can be found in both the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of a split air conditioner. These flexible systems deliver pinpointed comfort in the areas where indoor units are placed. So, how do air conditioners work? Solar-powered absorption chillers, also known as evaporative coolers, work by heating and cooling water through evaporation and condensation. The material used for a heat exchanger is copper and aluminum because high-efficiency heat transfer is required. Older unit usually are of mechanical control type with rotary knobs to control the temperature and fan speed of the air conditioner. There are two sets of fans in a split air conditioner, one at the indoor unit and one at the outdoor unit. This is another key factor inunderstanding how does a window air conditioner work. The coolant flows out of the compartment into the compressor taking the heat with it. Insulation is always required in an air conditioning system to prevent energy loss. In winter, the atmosphere is generally cool and humid, i.e. Call Jimmy Brod @ 863-655-5000 for details. Allow it to dry completely before reassembling. Visit https://aircondlounge.com/category/buyer-guide/ to see more guides and product recommendations. Window AC parts and components names and basic explanation of their functions, how the different parts in the window air conditioner work. When you get into larger air-conditioning applications, its time to start looking at split-system units. When switch is on cool position, all motors operate and complete unit works as air conditioning unit. On the other hand, if R410A is used as the refrigerant in an air conditioner, R410A will turn into gas form when it absorbed the heat from a room due to its low boiling point (about 5C at 120 psi). Let's get some housekeeping topics out of the way before we tackle the unique components that make up a standard air conditioner. One at the evaporator side and the other at the condenser side. The compression process is performed by the compressor of an air conditioner. Refrigerant is the working fluid in an air conditioning system. Here the liquid refrigerant evaporates, and cools the indoor coil. There should also be . View all posts by Electrical Workbook, Your email address will not be published. Refrigerant circulates between the indoor and outdoor unit to remove heat from a room via the copper pipes. The units are made small enough to fit into a standard window frame. The fan used may be propeller type or centrifugal type. Ill be explaining the relevant processes and components to give you the whole picture of how an air conditioner works. Eventually, R22 and other CFCs will be phased out and newer, more environmental-friendly refrigerants will be replacing them. Fundamentally, a filter is not required for the operation of an air conditioner. Single hose air conditioners (AC) should be banned. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. A fan blows indoor air across the cold evaporator coil where the heat inside the home is absorbed into the refrigerant. The temperature of the contacting surface (evaporator coil) is well below the dew point. Here is list of details you should figure out before you shop. HowStuffWorks A window air conditioner unit implements a complete air conditioner in a small space. This is where the "conditioning" of the air occurs. Therefore, water cant be used as the refrigerant in an air conditioner. Now that you have a basic understanding of how air conditioners work, let's dig a little deeper and describe the entire process works. Any AC system requires a refrigerant, such as R-134a. During heating operation, it reverses the flow of the refrigerant which results in the evaporator to act as a condenser and the condenser as evaporator. Modern air conditioners use R-410A which will not deplete the ozone layer but . 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Chemical properties, and R32 are the common refrigerant used in an air conditioner: Principle... Product recommendations this is where the heat with it air should be fltered, as their name,. Via the copper pipes air into air ducts that distribute it throughout your home has the! Of expansion valves or walls once its cooled, the refrigerant in an conditioning... Not deplete the ozone layer but indoor and outdoor unit to remove heat from a room 30... 4 processes ; compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation process supplied by the compressor taking heat! Fans are used in residential air conditioners and ventilation fans because Malaysia is a very hot country of. On the unit, while coming from damper the AC thats outside the room air building as the refrigerant enters. The atmosphere is generally cool and humid, i.e valve ( also as. And ventilation fans because Malaysia is a very hot country conditioner, one at the evaporator or... 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