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Interested in how air conditioning works? You have come to the address. Further in the article: the principle of operation of an air conditioner using the example of a split system, the main components of an air conditioner, the difference between “warm” air conditioners and ordinary ones, the main reason for the breakdown of air conditioners.
The concept of operation of cooling devices is based on the property of liquids to absorb and release heat. In this case, freon. When it evaporates, it absorbs heat from the air, and when it condenses, it releases it.
The main components of a classic air conditioner / split system:
- Compressor. The main task is to compress and maintain the pressure of freon in the refrigeration circuit.
- Capacitor. In it, freon passes from a gaseous state to a liquid state (condensation). Located in the outdoor unit.
- Evaporator. The opposite of a condenser is that freon passes from a liquid to a gaseous state in it. Located in the main block.
- expansion valve. The main function is to lower the pressure of the refrigerant.
- Fans. Needed for intense heat transfer. They blow air from the room around the evaporator condenser to heat/cool it.
These were the main elements of the refrigeration circuit. Between themselves, they are connected by heat-resistant copper tubes, through which freon with compressor oil enters.
So, how is the process of cooling the air in the air conditioner?
The cycle begins in the compressor: freon is supplied to it in a gaseous state, its temperature does not exceed 10-20 degrees, and the pressure is five atmospheres; then the compressor compresses it, heating it up to 90 degrees and increasing the pressure to + -20 atmospheres, after which it delivers further - to the condenser.
In it, the refrigerant blows colder air over the fan, due to which the freon cools down and turns into a liquid state. The air absorbs the heat of the refrigerant. The temperature of the latter goes down. It, depending on the selected settings and operating mode, is 10-20 degrees Celsius lower than the room air temperature.
The next step is the thermostatic expansion valve. It is needed to reduce the pressure of the refrigerant. It is a copper tube twisted into a spiral. As a result, the pressure drops to the initial five atmospheres, while the freon temperature still drops, and part of it evaporates.
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The cooled freon is fed into the evaporator, where a fan blows room air on it. The air gives off heat to the liquid, and itself cools to the selected temperature. Freon goes into a gaseous state and is again fed into the compressor. Everything starts over.
This is the general principle of operation. It may differ depending on the manufacturer and model.
About air conditioners with air heating function. From standard “warm” air conditioners, they differ in a four-way valve. They have a similar principle of operation, only they additionally have this valve. Thanks to him, you can change the direction of movement of the refrigerant. Thus, the stages are reversed, and the fan in the evaporator will blow hot freon.
The most common reason for the breakdown of air conditioners / split systems is that freon does not have time to switch to another state. It would seem that it's okay - not a gas, but a liquid will be blown by air. What's in it? However, the liquid does not compress. If it gets into the compressor, which must compress the gas, a water hammer will occur, copper pipes may burst and the compressor will break.
The two main reasons why the refrigerant may not have time to go into gaseous form are:
- The filters are dirty (due to poor airflow, the refrigerant does not heat up well).
- The outdoor air temperature is too low (freon cools too much).
