You may wonder how a window air conditioner works because you are planning to buy or already have one. This device may look complicated at first glance. But in reality, it works in the most interesting way.
In this short read, you will find out the essential knowledge and function of one of the necessary appliances in every home.
A. Window Air Conditioner Facts
Room Air Cycle
The main role of the window air conditioner is to make the air circulate or move. The air indoors, in front of the air conditioner, is considered the room air.
When the air conditioner is opened, the blower starts up. It pulls in the hot room air and mover it around the air filter. What separates the unnecessary particles in the area. The air conditioner blower reverses the low humidity and low temperature. But if you will observe, the room air contains higher moisture and temperature levels compared to cool air. The blower sucks that unwanted air and repeats the whole cycle.
Hot Air Cycle
Through the condenser, the hot air cycle is cooled down by the refrigerant. When it has already cooled down the atmospheric air, this blends with the fresh air and produces a high temperature at the back of the air conditioner.
Thermostat Function
Every air conditioner contains a thermostat. By the time you reach the desired temperature, the thermostat will detect it. By the time it happens, the compressor stops and the cycle ceases.
But when the temperature rises again, the thermostat will remove its hold. It will resume the compressor gear cycle again.
AirSpeed
You can set the airspeed through the air conditioner blower fan. This is a simple fan that makes the air cycle move faster, resulting in quick air cooling.
Air Filter Function
The air filter captures all the unwanted dust or particles in the area. It is essential to keep the air filter clean to do its function. Once neglected, you will not see how do air conditioners work properly. This will take you some time but will surely be beneficial for your home or even commercial needs.
B. Window Air Conditioner Process
If you think of it, an air conditioner simply gives you a cool and comfortable experience. But in reality, it has a lot more captivating process that leads to better functions.
In your chemistry class, you learned that matter in liquid form allows them to attract each other to stay in place. If you picture the scene, the molecules in the liquid state sit perfectly close together. This happens the temperature is not as cold to freeze or not as hot to evaporate.
When the temperature increases, it reaches the boiling point. The molecules become restless. As they move faster, the attraction that holds them together breaks. After the break, the liquid starts to become gas. It absorbs the hot atmosphere around it. This happens when we sweat. Soon, the sweat evaporates and carries heat from your body to form a gas.
You must have thought if this is related to your air conditioner. But yes, just like our body, the air conditioner is extremely dependent on a liquid to achieve its main role. In this case, the use of liquid is called refrigerant. A refrigerant consistently moves liquid form to gaseous form and vice versa for a repeated cycle.
Process: How It Works
1. Refrigerant Evaporation
Liquid to Gas
A refrigerant has a low boiling point. The air conditioner passes the refrigerant using coils and exposes those to your room temperature. Due to the low boiling point, the air is sucked into your AC unit carrying enough heat to turn refrigerant into gas form.
2. Warm Air to Cool Air
Cool air into your room.
The more heat in the refrigerant, which is in gas form, than in the surrounding air, the AC takes the cool air and fans. The coils containing refrigerant will turn it back in the liquid from and back to the air room.
3. Complete Cycle
Gas to liquid
Your AC unit will now need to take the refrigerant in the gas state then bring it back to liquid form. The gaseous state moves to the coils and compressor. It compresses the molecules again then turns to liquid form once more and over again.
4. Warm Air Elimination
Warm air to your room
Creating cool air from liquid to gas will also generate heat by turning gas into liquid form. Once the air temperature reaches the appropriate matches on the thermostat, the AC enters a maintenance state where running the loop only intends to maintain room temperature.
C. Window Air Conditioner Purpose
Reaching the desired temperature is the primary role of a window air conditioner. If you are still wondering how the unit reaches the temperature goal, then it is like this: The air in your room is pulled into the AC passing through a controller or thermometer. Then the system takes the reading and compares the value set on the thermostat for proper matching. It does it function by repeatedly turning liquid to gas, gas to liquid providing a balanced atmosphere in your room.
If you picture a window air conditioner, the system filters the air through a maze of ducts before reaching the cold coils. The concept can also happen on a large scale with more airflow and air circulation.
For big buildings or areas, the system may be run through a chilled liquid or cooling system. These may be used in air conditioning systems in different technology to cool bigger establishments.
Air conditioners have become a demand for every home or industry. You need to consider the facts, process, and purpose of the unit before purchasing or using such. For a better experience, the prior knowledge you have must be linked to keeping proper use and maintenance. In the long run, it will serve you at its maximum potential.