Your A/C Unit and How it Works
Let’s face it A/C is a vital resource during the scorching Texas summer. We use it almost every day between the months of May and October, but many of us have never actually taken the time to understand how it works. To give our customers a better understanding of the ins and outs of an A/C system, we’ve put together this simple guide.
Phase Conversion and Refrigerants
Phase conversion is the fundamental principle in physics that A/C units utilize to cool down a space. Phase conversion is the transitionary phase of a liquid to a gas where heat is absorbed. Many A/C units use a chemical compound, called a refrigerant, that is evaporated and condensed numerous times in a closed coil to remove heat and create a cold coil. For many large buildings and businesses, water is used in the cooling process, because standard installations use a lot of energy and can be costly.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/ac1.htm
https://www.thespruce.com/how-home-air-conditioning-system-works-4121077
Fans and Ducts
Next, a system of fans and ducts work together to move warm interior air to and from these coils to create cold air that flows through the duct system.
A/C Functions
Air conditioners do a lot more than just keep the air cool in a building. A/C units work with the thermostat to regulate air temperature and features a filter that catches harmful or irritating particles in the air. A/C systems also actively work to reduce humidity by reducing the temperature of a volume of humid air, which results in moisture getting pulled from the air. This is why on hot days moisture condenses on the outside of vents and may drip.
