Home Tech & Gear Air Conditioner 101: Everything You Need to Know

Air Conditioner 101: Everything You Need to Know

Air Conditioner 101: Everything You Need to Know
Photo by Max Vakhtbovych: https://www.pexels.com

You use your air conditioner daily. It is one of the most important features of your house. But do you know everything about your air conditioner? From its functions, components, and how it works inside the system? Keep on reading to know the complete guideline about your air conditioner below! 

Air conditioners, at first, were considered expensive items that only existed in offices, hotels, malls, or luxury homes. However, air conditioning has now become a necessity for many people, especially in a tropical countries.

Although an air conditioner is a product of modern technology, the concept of an air conditioning system has been known since the Middle Ages, to be exact, during the Ancient Romans and Persians. Willis Haviland Carrier became the first person to invent a modern large-scale air conditioner that uses electrical energy in 1902. 

Air Conditioner Function

As the name implies, an air conditioner has the function of conditioning the air in a room to feel cool, comfortable, and healthy. Three things can be conditioned or regulated by using air conditioning, those are:

Regulating Air Temperature 

The main function of the air conditioner is to regulate the temperature in the room. You can set the desired temperature through the numbers on the remote control. 

Regulate Air Humidity 

The temperature and humidity are interrelated, thus why air conditioners also have a function to regulate the humidity inside a room. An air conditioner should be set at the ideal temperature, around 24-26°C. An air conditioner set at a too cold temperature has high humidity and can cause the skin to dry quickly. 

Clean The Air 

The air conditioner machine is equipped with a filter to filter dust and dirt so that the air in the room becomes clean and healthy. 

Air Conditioner Component

To carry out their functions properly, air conditioners are specially designed and consist of several components, which can generally be grouped into four parts, the main components, supporting components, electricity, and refrigerants.

Main Components 

The main component in an air conditioner is a component that regulates air temperature, consisting of a condenser, compressor, evaporator, and capillary pipe. The following is an explanation of the function of the four main components. 

a. Condenser 

The capacitor exchanges heat, changes the refrigerant form from gas to liquid, and lowers the refrigerant temperature. The condenser pipe is made tortuous and equipped with fins. The capacitor is placed outside the room to release the heat in the refrigerant into the free air. 

b. Compressor 

The compressor is useful for circulating and pumping refrigerant throughout the air conditioner. The compressor has two pipes, a suction pipe and a pressure pipe.

c. Evaporator 

The function of the evaporator is to absorb and transfer heat from the air to the refrigerant. The refrigerant changes from liquid to gas after passing through a capillary tube. The evaporator takes the hot air from the room, then passes through the fins of the pipes so that the temperature drops. 

d. Capillary pipe 

The capillary tube is also a very important component in the air conditioner because it lowers the pressure and regulates the refrigerant flow to the evaporator. The decrease in refrigerant pressure causes its temperature to drop, which causes the air coming out of the air conditioner to have a low temperature. 

Supporting Components 

In addition to the main components, the air conditioner is also equipped with other components to support the air conditioner. The supporting components are the air conditioner’s filter, accumulator, blower, and fan.

Electrical Components 

Because an air conditioner works using electric power, it also requires electrical components such as a thermostat, capacitors, and electric motor to ensure it works properly.

Refrigerant 

Refrigerant is a substance that flows in the air conditioning system and functions as a refrigerant. When the air conditioner runs, the refrigerant continuously changes between liquid and gas to produce cold air. 

How Air Conditioner Works 

An air conditioner consists of two connected coils: the evaporator coil, which is placed indoors, and the capacitor coil, which is placed outside the room. The coil contains refrigerant, which flows continuously. The working principle of the air conditioner is very simple: to keep the evaporator coil cold (colder than room temperature) and the condenser coil hot (hotter than atmospheric temperature). The flowing refrigerant will absorb heat from inside the room and throw it outside. 

Here is the complete guideline of how your air conditioner works. Don’t forget to do regular maintenance for your air conditioner, which can help ensure your air conditioner works wonderfully for a long time. Check out https://www.luceaircon.sg/services/aircon-servicing to schedule regular maintenance by one of the most credible air conditioner servicing companies.

Featured Photo by Max Vakhtbovych: https://www.pexels.com