Basic Function and Operation of Automotive Air-Conditioning Systems

An automotive air-conditioning system provides comfort and relaxation to both the driver and passenger. Road travel has become relatively more comfortable and less tiring because of a vehicle’s air-conditioning system.  This is especially true for long distance travel.

Improvements in the Automotive Air Conditioning System

Since it was first invented some time during the 1940s, the automotive air conditioning system has come a long way. The latest vehicle air conditioning systems today employ new technologies, such as the “computerized automatic temperature control system”. This kind of system allows the driver to set his preferred temperature and the system adjusts to it automatically.  Most automotive air conditioning systems nowadays are much more durable as compared to the earlier systems.

There is no doubt that today’s automotive air conditioning systems have also become more complex.  This makes these systems unable to be troubleshot by the normal “do-it-yourself” type of repair.  Therefore, a good understanding of the way the air conditioning system works is required.

Parts of an Automotive Air Conditioning System

There are three different types of automotive air conditioning systems.  However, regardless of the difference in type, these systems generally still function in the same way. Like all air conditioning systems, a vehicle’s air conditioning system is composed of several parts: a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, an orifice tube, pressure-regulating devices, a thermal expansion valve, a receiver/drier, and an accumulator.

It is important to take note that an orifice valve has the same function as the thermal expansion valve.  Thus, only one of these two parts should exist in one air conditioning system. This is also true for a receiver-drier and an accumulator.

Parts and Functions Running Inside an Automotive Air Conditioning System

The compressor is the heart of an air conditioning system. It is a pump that is belt-driven.  It is fastened into the engine. The compressor’s main function is to compress and transfer refrigerant gas. The condenser is the part of the system where heat dissipates. In many cases, the condenser will look similar as the vehicle’s radiator.  Its function is also to radiate heat.

The evaporator is the part of the air conditioning system that absorbs heat. It removes heat from inside the vehicle. The evaporator also functions as a dehumidifier. Pressure-regulating devices in the system control the temperature of the evaporator. The temperature is controlled by the pressure of the refrigerant, which controls its flow to the evaporator. The thermal expansion valve senses both pressure and temperature in the air conditioning system.  It functions as a regulator of the refrigerant’s flow to the evaporator. Furthermore, the thermal expansion valve normally requires a receiver-drier.  On the other hand, the accumulator normally requires an orifice tube. The accumulator in the system acts as a storage for excess refrigerant.