1. Pressure and Temperature Increase: When the refrigerant gas enters the compressor, it is at a low pressure and temperature. The compressor compresses the gas, significantly increasing its pressure and temperature.
2. Phase Change: The high pressure and temperature cause the refrigerant gas to undergo a phase change from a low-pressure gas to a high-pressure liquid. This phase change is essential for the cooling effect in the air conditioner.
3. Heat Transfer: The compression process generates heat, which is removed by the condenser (usually located on the outdoor unit of the air conditioner). This heat is transferred to the outdoor air, dissipating it from the system.
4. Cooling Effect: After passing through the condenser and releasing the heat, the high-pressure refrigerant liquid enters the expansion device (such as an expansion valve or capillary tube). The expansion device allows the liquid refrigerant to expand and undergo a pressure drop. This expansion causes the refrigerant to evaporate and turn back into a low-pressure gas, absorbing heat from the surrounding environment in the process.
5. Cooling Coil: The low-pressure refrigerant gas, now carrying the absorbed heat, flows through the cooling coil (evaporator) located in the indoor unit. As the warm air from the room passes over the cold cooling coil, heat from the air is transferred to the refrigerant, cooling the air and lowering its temperature.
6. Refrigerant Cycle Completion: The cooled air is then circulated back into the room, while the low-pressure refrigerant gas exits the cooling coil and enters the compressor again, starting the refrigeration cycle over.
In summary, the compressor in an air conditioner compresses the refrigerant gas to increase its pressure and temperature, facilitate a phase change, and generate heat that is dissipated by the condenser. The expansion process and subsequent evaporation of the refrigerant in the cooling coil absorb heat from the indoor air, achieving the desired cooling effect. The refrigerant then cycles back to the compressor, completing the refrigeration cycle.
