Air Conditioning - How Does It Work?

If you have ever lived in a warmer climate, you understand how important air conditioning is for both homes and businesses. If you're stuck in a residence that doesn't have proper cooling, you can literally stifle in the summer months, sweaty and sticky, and no one wants that! Likewise, if you own a business, you need to ensure that you present a pleasing environment for your customers and visitors. Having the proper air conditioning units can alleviate this concern, but selecting the right one can be a challenge in its own right. Starting by learning how air conditioning works is a great place to start from, when you are looking to invest into commercial or residential air conditioning.

So, how exactly do A/C units work? Most of them are based around the idea of exploiting a simple refrigeration cycle to adjust the temperature of a room, or series of rooms. The original technique is thought to have originated all the way back in Ancient Egypt, of all places! Reeds were hung in windows, down which water would trickle. As this water evaporated, air blowing into the room would be cooled and moistened, a boon in the hot desert climate.

Modern systems are still surprisingly close to the original model, in principle, though the process is of course mechanized for efficiency. There are three essential parts to the machines:

1. Compressor- Located on the exterior air part of the cycle, fluid is introduced to the cooling system as a pressurised gas, which is then squeezed. When leaving, it is at a significantly higher pressure and temperature, and proceeds to flow into the condenser.

2. Condenser- If you're trying to identify the condenser unit when looking at a residential air conditioning setup, it is usually the large part with metal fins around the perimeter of the unit. The purpose of these fins is much the same as a radiator in a car; it helps heat to dissipate fast.

3. Evaporator- Now the fluid has recondensed to a high pressure liquid state, and goes through an extremely narrow hole into an evaporator. Once on the other side, the pressure drops, and the liquid begins the process of evaporating back into gas. This takes heat from the air around it, turning it into a cooler, lower pressure gas once again, and ready to begin the cycle anew.

This whole system is energized by fans or ventilation, which spread the air out and circulates it throughout the home or business. As hot air rises, this makes it possible to eventually treat all the air in any closed system. A thermostat automatically notes when the desired effect has been achieved, and can regulate the system by turning it on and off to keep temperature levels consistent.

Consult with a qualified and reputable dealer to inquire about different air conditioning systems and which is best for your needs. Ducted air conditioning, split system air conditioning, reverse cycle air conditioning and more, there is likely to be a perfect solution available for your temperature management needs.