There are numerous essential components of an AC system that work together to keep you and your home cool. Here’s what you need to know about the different parts of an AC system and how the whole process works to keep you comfortable during the summer.
The Main Equipment
First of all, there are a couple of essential pieces of equipment, each of which contains certain components. The outdoor piece of equipment, called the condenser, contains a coil with a fan to move air along the coil and another to expel hot air outside. There’s also a compressor that plays an important role in heat exchange because it helps refrigerant convert from a liquid to gaseous state. The indoor unit is an air handler and contains an expansion valve and another coil (cool coil). The air is blown over this coil as well, and then the air is sent to ducts throughout the home.
Role of Refrigerant
The refrigerant is an important component used throughout the cooling process. This refrigerant is able to change back and forth from a gas to a liquid. The compressor in the outdoor unit changes the liquid to hot gas. The refrigerant moves to the indoor unit and goes through an expansion valve to further lower the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant. It then moves through the evaporator, and the refrigerant is able to absorb heat and return to a liquid where it’s moved to the outdoor unit once again to repeat the cycle.
Heat Exchange Process
Air conditioners use heat exchange via the refrigerant between the two main parts of the system to produce cold air that’s delivered throughout your home. Air is drawn in through intake vents placed throughout the home. A fan inside the air handler blows this warm air over the cool coil that contains liquid refrigerant. As mentioned, the heat and moisture in the indoor air are transferred to the cool refrigerant, leaving the air cool. This air is then delivered throughout the home through the ducts. The now hot refrigerant goes back out to the condenser. The compressor pressurizes the refrigerant into a high-pressure gas, so since the gas is now high pressure, it naturally moves to a low-pressure area, which is the coils in the condenser. As warm air goes across the coils, condensation occurs, the heat and moisture are released outside, and the refrigerant temperature is lowered. It then begins the journey back to the evaporator inside the home. This cycle is repeated continuously while the AC is running.
Other Important Components
The thermostat is another important component of an AC system because it signals when the cooling process needs to begin depending on the indoor temperature. The ducts are another important component because without them the cool air couldn’t be delivered to the different rooms. For heat exchange to work properly there can’t be any leaking refrigerant, blocked ducts, broken fans, worn motors, or electrical connection issues. If you think you might be facing a problem with any of these vital components, be sure to contact Triad Mechanical AC repair services in Auburn, GA, to get your AC running in peak condition once again. Delaying necessary repairs can put stress on your system and may cause a premature breakdown.
