Air Conditioning System For Your Car

How an Air Conditioner Works

Air conditioning facilitates the removal of heat from inside the vehicle. The principle applied is that heat is removed by conduction and convection. An evaporator which is cold absorbs the heat from the air that is passed through it and then cold air is forced out through the vents inside the car by the blower motor. This is done by pressurizing refrigerant (134a) with a compressor and then releasing refrigerant (134a) inside the air conditioner evaporator.

Some automobiles are equipped with an automatic climate control system to regulate the temperature inside the car automatically. The climate control module is a computer which monitors and adjusts to a temperature set by the user. The temperature is controlled by a combination of cold air from the air conditioner, and hot air from the heater to achieve a desired temperature. The blower motor speed is controlled by a solid state speed controller. This controller electrically controls the speed of the blower motor and replaces the conventional blower motor resistor system.

Typical Air Conditioner System Configuration The air conditioning and heating unit provides thermal comfort to passengers inside no matter what the temperature is outside. The air inside can be heated, cooled, filtered or ventilated. The climate control feature helps to maintain the desired temperature. The system that provides cooling, heating and climate control is known as the HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system. Basic principles of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer provide cold and heat for the particular system. Your climate control settings allow all three to work together to achieve good indoor air quality, thermal comfort and optimal pressure.

Climate Control Panel

The climate control system can store trouble codes when a problem is detected in the system. You can retrieve codes by pressing two or more buttons on the control panel at the same time. To find out how to retrieve trouble codes for you vehicle check your owner's manual or consult a repair manual. When the code retrieval system is enabled a trouble code will appear on the temperature control head. After repairs have been made the system will need to be re-enabled this is done by disconnecting the battery for 45 seconds and reconnecting the battery. Testing can be aborted at anytime by turning the key to the off position. Basic Maintenance

Automotive charging kits are available at any auto parts store and it is recommended to buy can with fluorescent refrigerant dye which can help to point out the location of any refrigerant leaks. The kit will have instructions to add the refrigerant safely. Protective eyewear should be used when handling pressurized refrigerant cans. Sometimes bugs, leaves and dust particles can get stuck in the condenser fins. Foreign objects and dirt can be cleaned with the help of a garden hose or compressed air forced through the radiator and condenser backwards until clean

Car Air Conditioner | The part of Automotive Air Conditioning System

The automotive air conditioning system comprises seven major parts. These parts are:

1. Compressor Commonly referred to as the heart of the system, the compressor is a belt driven pump that is fastened to the engine. It is responsible for compressing and transferring refrigerant gas. It is basically a pump connected to the engine whose chief function is to compress the refrigerant from the evaporator coils and the compressor, or the heart of the system, is a pump that is attached to the engine. Its purpose is to compress and transfer refrigerant gas. The compressor has both an intake and a discharge side. 2. Condenser This is the area in which heat dissipation occurs. The condenser, in many cases, will have much the same appearance as the radiator in you car as the two have very similar functions. The condenser is designed to radiate heat. Its location is usually in front of the radiator, but in some cases, due to aerodynamic improvements to the body of a vehicle, its location may differ. Condensers must have good air flow anytime the system is in operation. On rear wheel drive vehicles, this is usually accomplished by taking advantage of your existing

engines cooling fan. On front wheel drive vehicles, condenser air flow is supplemented with one or more electric cooling fan(s). 3. Evaporator Located inside the vehicle, the evaporator serves as the heat absorption component. The evaporator provides several functions. Its primary duty is to remove heat from the inside of your vehicle. Its chief duty is to absorb heat. Besides getting rid of heat from inside your vehicle, it is also responsible for dehumidifying the car. In order to regulate the temperature of the evaporator, pressure introducing pressure regulating devices like orifice tube is necessary 4. Orifice Tube The orifice tube, probably the most commonly used, can be found in most GM and Ford models. It is located in the inlet tube of the evaporator, or in the liquid line, somewhere between the outlet of the condenser and the inlet of the evaporator. 5. Thermal Expansion Valve Another common refrigerant regulator is the thermal expansion valve, or TXV. Commonly used on import and aftermarket systems. This type of valve can sense both temperature and pressure, and is very efficient at regulating refrigerant flow to the evaporator. Several variations of this valve are commonly found. Another example of a thermal expansion valve is Chryslers H block type. 6. The receiver-Drier The receiver-drier is used in automotive air conditioning systems that employ thermal expansion valves as pressure regulating devices to ensure that this pressure regulating device receives the liquid refrigerant that it needs in order to function. In order to do so, it must separate gas and liquid. 7. The accumulator Accumalators are used only on automotive air conditioning systems that have the orifice tube as the pressure regulating device, and its main function is to store surplus liquid refrigerant. It is connected directly to the evaporator outlet and stores excess liquid refrigerant. Introduction of liquid refrigerant into a compressor can do serious damage. In doing so, it prevents any liquid from entering the compressor, which could be detrimental to the system.

What are the benefits of air conditioning?

Efficient cool air in summer Warm dehumidified air in winter easily demists steamed up windows Filters pollutants / airborne particles inc pollen helping allergy sufferers Pleasant and odour free vehicle atmosphere at all times.

Why does a car need an air conditioning recharge? Your air conditioning system can lose up to 15% of it's coolant every year, so a 3 year old car may have lost almost half it's coolant seriously impacting on the performance of the system and damaging the components involved. You should regularly have the air conditioning systems serviced to reduce wear and tear on the components and help avoid potentially big repair bills.

How an Alternator Works

A battery is needed to power the operating system of your car. Once the vehicle is running an alternator that is driven by the engine charges the battery. While in operation the alternator creates electricity, about 13.6 to 14.3 volts, and recharges the battery to its original state of charge. The alternator is one of the hardest working electrical components in your vehicle. When your vehicle is running the alternator is busy creating electricity to provide the engine and the car accessories with needed power. When the car is not running and your battery is severely discharged some electrical components such as alarms or other memory retaining items may still operate or operate poorly. Typically, these components are designed to operate properly at 12 volts; if the system voltage is low it can cause erratic symptoms

An alternator, battery and voltage regulator are the three major components of an automotive charging system. See how the alternator works.

The alternator consists of:

A stationary winding assembly, called the stator. A rotating electro-magnet, the rotor. A slip-ring and brush assembly. A rectifier assembly. Two end-frames. And a cooling fan.

A voltage regulator monitors battery voltage and varies current flow through the rotor field circuit, and thus controls the strength of the rotating magnetic field. This keeps system voltage to a safe level.