The air conditioning system in your home is designed to cool the indoor temperature, dehumidify the interior atmosphere and provide filtered air through ducts to deliver it throughout the house. Air conditioning systems have two main components: an outdoor compressor/condenser unit and an indoor evaporator coil. They are connected by copper tubing to transfer heat between the two units.
The indoor evaporator coil is the heart of the air conditioner, where its cooling magic happens. The coils are filled with special chemical compounds known as refrigerants that have properties that enable them to change from liquids to gases and back again at relatively low temperatures. The fan blows the warm interior air over these serpentine coils to chill it, and the chilled air is then blown back into the room through a series of ducts.
As the cooled air is circulated through the system, it passes through a filter to remove any dust or other particulates from the interior. Depending on the type of air conditioner, it may also pass through a vapor exchanger to reduce humidity levels.
An air conditioning system can vary in size and complexity, from the self-contained, portable models that are used for small spaces to large central ducted systems. The central air conditioners, referred to as HVAC systems in the trade, have an indoor evaporator coil and a fan that blows the cooled air through a network of ducts to reach all areas of the building. Ductless mini splits have the same functionality as central duct systems, but the equipment is contained in separate units that sit in the window or on the wall and are designed to cool only one space at a time.
In addition to the HVAC system’s evaporator coil and fan, it has a compressor that turns the liquid refrigerant into a gas. This process is facilitated by the evaporator coil, where the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air being blown over it. The vapor then travels to the outside compressor unit, where it is compressed and cooled until it returns to its liquid state. This cycle is repeated over and over to cool the air inside the home or office.
Throughout the second half of the 20th century, almost all air conditioners used chlorofluorocarbons as their refrigerant, but those chemicals were found to damage Earth’s ozone layer and have since been replaced with safer alternatives such as hydrofluorocarbons. Other options for refrigerants include natural gas or ammonia. A number of manufacturers offer packaged systems that combine the heating and cooling equipment in a single unit that’s installed outdoors to save indoor space. These systems can be powered by solar panels to increase energy efficiency. In addition, they’re able to be used with a heat pump to supply both heating and cooling. This makes them a popular choice for new construction and remodeling projects.
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