1. Compressor: The air conditioning system is powered by the car's engine. When you turn on the air conditioning, the compressor is engaged. The compressor compresses refrigerant gas, increasing its pressure and temperature.
2. Condenser: The high-pressure refrigerant gas then flows into the condenser, which is located in front of the car's radiator. The condenser dissipates heat from the refrigerant gas, causing it to condense and turn into a high-pressure liquid.
3. Expansion valve: The high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows into the expansion valve, which acts as a metering device. The expansion valve regulates the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator.
4. Evaporator: The low-pressure liquid refrigerant flows into the evaporator, which is located inside the car's dashboard. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the air inside the car, causing it to evaporate and turn into a low-pressure gas.
5. Blower: A blower fan circulates the cooled air from the evaporator throughout the car's interior.
6. Receiver-dryer: The low-pressure refrigerant gas then flows into the receiver-dryer, which acts as a reservoir and removes moisture from the refrigerant.
The entire process is repeated as the refrigerant cycles through the system, continuously absorbing heat from the car's interior and releasing it outside the vehicle.
While the air conditioning system does not directly use gas as fuel, it does rely on the car's engine to provide power for the compressor. As a result, using the air conditioning can lead to increased fuel consumption, especially in older or less efficient vehicles.
