An air conditioner, or "air con," is a device that cools the air inside a building or vehicle. It works by using a refrigerant to absorb heat from the indoor air and release it outside.
Here's a breakdown of how it works:
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The Cooling Process: An air conditioner uses a refrigerant, a substance that easily changes between liquid and gas states.
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Evaporation: The refrigerant, in its liquid form, passes through an evaporator coil located inside the air conditioner unit. As warm air from the room is blown across the evaporator coil, the liquid refrigerant absorbs the heat and turns into a gas. This process cools the air.
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Compression: The gaseous refrigerant then travels to a compressor, which increases its pressure and temperature.
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Condensation: The high-pressure, hot refrigerant then moves to a condenser coil, typically located outside the building. Here, the refrigerant releases its heat to the outside air and condenses back into a liquid.
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Expansion: Finally, the liquid refrigerant passes through an expansion valve, which reduces its pressure and temperature, preparing it to absorb more heat in the evaporator coil, starting the cycle again.
In summary, an air conditioner essentially moves heat from inside a space to the outside, making the indoor environment cooler and more comfortable.
