How Does the Air From an Air Conditioner Change the Temperature?

Compressor

• A compressor is basically a pump that moves the refrigerant through the system. The refrigerant gets to the compressor as a cool, low-pressure gas. The compressor makes the refrigerant molecules move closer together and makes the refrigerant hotter. When the compressor gets done with its work, the refrigerant has become a hot, high-pressure gas that then flows into the condenser.

Condenser

• Once it's in the condenser, the hot refrigerant gets rid of the heat. As the refrigerant travels through the condenser, a fan blows air onto the coil, which causes the warm air to vent to the outside. Now the refrigerant inside the condenser is cool. Leaving the condenser, the gas now has become liquid.

Evaporator

• As the refrigerant moves through tubing, it expands, causing the pressure to drop and become much cooler. In the evaporator coil, it absorbs heat blown over the coil by a fan. Moisture from the air condenses on the coil and is removed to a drip pan so it can drain away. The refrigerant continues to the compressor, where the cycle is repeated until the air in your home feels cool.

Refrigerant

• In 1995, the production of refrigerant containing chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, halted because they damage the ozone layer. Now air conditioners use halogenated chlorofluorocarbons, or HCFCs. These still don't meet standards, so all production will stop by 2030. Hydrofluorocarbons considered safe for the ozone layer will slowly be phased in, along with other refrigerants such as ammonia.