If you were to describe how AC works, the likelihood of thinking how the cold air is produced in the unit and pumped in the house would be great. Most people think this is the way air conditioning unit cover works and this is a common misconception. 

Cooling systems rely on a process in which the warm air is extracted out of the space and the AC unit is responsible for that extraction. Here we will describe how AC systems operate and which process happens when you start your air-co.

How Does an AC Unit Work?

AC Unit Work

As we mentioned earlier, cooling systems absorb the heat from the inside and move it outside. This process can happen thanks to the cooling agent or ‘’refrigerant’’. Within the AC unit, you can find coils filled with this agent, and their purpose is to guide the refrigerant from the space being cooled outside and then back inside once relieved of the absorbed heat. 

There are different components of the AC system to handle handling heat release and temperature of the agent within the coils along its path: 

  • Evaporator 
  • Compressor
  • Condenser     

These are the key parts of any AC system and we will describe each with its function and how they all work together to cool us down.

The Evaporator

The evaporator coil is the unit found indoors which absorbs the heat from the air. Once the warm air comes through the vent, air flows through the cold evaporator coil. Finally, the fan blows the cold air into air ducts back into the room where the unit is located, cooling the space. 

Key to this process is the agent in the coils: refrigerant changes its quality as it absorbs the heat from the hot air blown over, this goes from being liquid to gas. 

The Compressor

The compressor is vital for the operating of your AC system as it moves the refrigerant between the evaporator and condenser coils. Due to the compressor’s work and the fact it tightly squeezes the gas between the solid objects. Refrigerant changes to gas or liquid as required for the cooling process, ensuring the units work. While other components might proceed to operate in impaired stages, the compressor has to run properly and at full capacity at all the time.

The Condenser

The condenser unit is located outside and disposes of the heat collected by the refrigerant. Here the air from the outside absorbs the heat from the agent, lowering its temperature and switching the state back to liquid. 

The Process

Now that we understand all of the components and their functions, let’s summarize and put them in order. This is the best way to learn how air conditioners work.

The evaporator absorbs the hot air from the space, transfers it over the refrigerator coils. The compressor pushes the agent, changing it from liquid to superheated gas. The heat is being released outside through the condenser unit, which again changes the agent from  gas to liquid. This way the cold refrigerant is being pumped back in by lowering the temperature in your home. Once the desired temperature level is achieved, the thermostat will inform you to shut the unit off.

Want to learn more or need help finding the right AC for your home? Chills Air Conditioning offers support and guidance as well as a variety of other services. Contact us and learn how to maximize the cooling in your home! Visit best air conditioning service Miami and get your chill on!