Driving along in your car on a hot humid day there is perhaps nothing more enjoyable than experiencing the refreshing, cool and crisp feel of your automobile’s air conditioning. With that said, there are several key components of any auto air conditioning system that are necessary to produce this delightfully cool and refreshing air.
These components must all be in good working order and work in unison to ensure that your vehicle develops the cold air that you expect. Here is a breakdown of these key auto AC components.
1. The Compressor
This component lies at the very core of your air conditioning system. The compressor does just as the name implies and compresses refrigerant that is a gas, pressurizing it so that it may cool the air effectively. The compressor is powered via the engine through an engine driven belt. In addition, this component also has a clutch that modulates the compressor on and off as cool air demands change.
2. The Condenser
This equally important component of any auto AC system is in effect a scaled down radiator. In fact, it typically resides very close to the main radiator in your vehicle. As hot compressed air enters into the condenser its temperature is cooled down significantly. As this air becomes cooler it then becomes liquid.
3. The Evaporator
Like the condenser, the evaporator is in many ways like a smaller version of your main radiator. However, unlike the condenser the evaporator processes super-cooled liquid as it transfers through the evaporator’s tubes and then exits into the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
4. The Thermal Expansion Valve
This component of a vehicle’s air conditioning system allows for the control of air temperature. The valve is used to modulate the flow of refrigerant directly to the evaporator. This allows the occupants of a vehicle to adjust the cabin’s temperature to suit specific temperature requirements.
5. The drier (accumulator)
Considered somewhat of a safety component of the auto AC system, the dryer or accumulator is designed to intercept liquid refrigerant that would otherwise work its way into the compressor. Because liquid refrigerant can indeed damage an AC system compressor the drier plays an important role in protecting the overall integrity of the air conditioning system. The drier uses a chemical process to absorb refrigerant and moisture to prevent damage to the system.
These are the basic components of virtually any automobile air conditioning system. While there are other smaller components of a system such as pressure sensors and temperature sensors these five main components are the basis of any auto AC system.
Don’t try to do your own auto AC repair, this sensitive system needs a licensed mechanic. Just look on your favorite search engine for auto AC repair in your local area, you can expect to see sites like; Wendell NC Auto Repair. Research carefully and choose the best shop for you.
The system comes down to a simple process of evaporation, condensation and basic heat transfer that is designed to create cool conditioned air in a vehicle. The creation of cool air through a vehicle’s air conditioning system is by a process known as the refrigeration effect.
Additional secondary components of an AC system include a series of hoses and tubes that round out the system in a car as well as the manual controls found within the passenger compartment. Count on your auto AC system to keep you cool and dry through the hottest summer months thanks to a cleverly designed system that works quite well.