Basic Components of Automotive Air Conditioning Systems

We sure all take our car and trucks cooling and air conditioning systems for granted until they do not function in the hot summer and we swelter as we drive, fall prey to high humidity or both. Generally automotive air conditioning systems are relatively consistent and reliable, requiring a minimum of maintenance. Still when these cooling systems fail it is wise to have a basic knowledge of automobile refrigeration and cooling systems in order that we can quickly and succinctly describe out problems and concerns to our local garage man auto mechanic or your dealership professional service technician.

The basic function of air conditioning as well as wintertime heating systems and glass defrosters is to keep the temperature in the passenger compartment comfortable. The air conditioner transfers heat from the passenger compartment to the outside air, all the while removing moisture and humidity as well. Whereas come cooler times of the driving year the heating system does the reverse transferring heat from the engine to the passenger compartment.

The basic components of your autos' cabin cooling system is composed of first the compressor - which is basically a simple pump, the magnetic clutch, which serves to disengage the compressor to control the circulation of refrigerant through the system.

Next consider the condenser coil itself which dissipates the heat picked by the refrigerant from the evaporator coil which is located in the passenger compartment itself. The receiver dryer stores refrigerant keeping it clean and removing moisture. Next in line is the expansion valve whose role and function is to both limit the high pressure liquid coming from the receiver into the evaporator core, causing the high pressure liquid to change into a lower pressure low temperature gas.

Last in line are the evaporator core which is a radiator like container connected between the expansion valve and what is referred to as the "suction throttling valve'. This suction throttling valve itself contains a pressure between 28 and 2p psi, pounds per square inch measurement. Lastly for reasons of quick diagnosis of low refrigerant fluid most auto air conditioners often a transparent 'sight gas".

Having some knowledge of the basic components and terminology of auto cooling refrigerant air conditioning systems can be of great assistance of describing breakdown and maintenance issues with your local garage mechanic or auto dealership service department. All in all with the number and type of all of these complex components it is amazing that our vehicles' air conditioning systems are so reliable and trouble free.