Everyone knows what it is like to feel the heat in the summer and try to find a way to escape. This is exactly why air conditioners have become not only popular but also necessary in homes all across the world. While an infinite number of people own an air conditioner, not many people actually know or understand the inner workings of air conditioners.



Air conditioners are essentially an appliance that extracts heat from or a room or building almost in the same way that a refrigerator works. The refrigeration system is a complete and complicated mechanism that removes heat, ventilates the room and introduces cooler air into the surrounding area. While many people only relate the system to hot weather, an air conditioner can be used to provide comfort in cold weather as well within a house, building, apartment or even a car.

The common misconception about air conditioners is that they work by providing and supplying cool air. Essentially what is actually happening is that the warm air is being removed and converted into colder air and then put back into the area where the conditioner is intended to work. This system is consistently used until the temperature reaches the desired levels that you have set through a thermostat.

In the simplest terms, an air conditioner is a refrigerator without the box that provides insulation. The main cycle is powered by a Freon cycle that uses the basics of evaporation. This cycle essentially works in an air conditioner as follows:

A compressor within the air conditioner compresses Freon gas that is cool. This forces the gas to become hot and extremely high pressured.

The hot gas that is created then is distributed through a large set od coils so that is can easily dissipate the heat. This allows the heated gas to become a liquid by the end of the whole process.

This produced liquid then is processed through a valve that provides expansion. Through this extra process the liquid is once again turned into a cold lower pressure form of gas. So the gas turns to liquid and then by the end comes full circle and turns back into a gas.

The cooled gas then passes through another set of coils that absorbds the heat within the room and substantially cools down the air in the surrounding area.

While the main purpose of air conditioners is to provide comfort to people within the space, it can also be used to keep air well circulated and even keeps air clean within the designated area. Air conditioners often comewith filter units that help alleviate and remove dust and allergenics from the air inside the building. This process can also help to dehumidify the room and remove excess moisture from the building which can help make it easier to breathe and ensure that mold is not produced.