Whether it’s a bustling professional office or the focused solitude of home study, studies and statistics demonstrate that cognitive performance is enhanced by a climate-controlled environment. Cincinnati Air Conditioning systems deliver this through comprehensive ventilation and humidity control.
Air conditioning systems also help to minimise indoor allergens, fostering an environment that prioritises respiratory health and wellbeing for the whole family.
Refrigerant is the heart of air conditioning and the essential ingredient for cool, comfortable living. Its unique properties allow it to absorb and release heat efficiently as it cycles through the AC system’s closed-loop system. This includes the compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator coil. When refrigerant evaporates in the indoor evaporator coil, it draws heat from the warm home air, cooling it before it is circulated back into your living space. The warmed refrigerant then travels to the outdoor condenser coil, where it releases its heat and changes back into a liquid to repeat the cycle.
Refrigerants are flammable, toxic and volatile, so they are only handled by certified technicians. When an air conditioner loses refrigerant, it must be repaired as soon as possible. A low refrigerant charge reduces your air conditioner’s capacity and efficiency, and may damage other components.
While the specific chemicals that comprise refrigerant remain a mystery to most homeowners, there are a few things you can look for to find out what type is used in your air conditioner. Most newer air conditioners use R-410A, a non-combustible hydrocarbon with very low Global Warming Potential and Ozone Depletion Potential ratings. Older air conditioners typically use R-22, known by its brand name Freon.
You can also check your air conditioner’s manual for information on the refrigerant type, as well as its pressure specs and evaporator coil temperature requirements. If your air conditioner is still using R-22, you can try to get a refrigerant swap or top up, but be aware that supplies are running out and any refill will likely be more costly than replacing the entire AC. If you do need to replace the refrigerant, look for a label on the compressor or lines near the evaporator coil that lists the refrigerant type and pressure specifications.
Compressor
The compressor is the heart of every air conditioning system. All AC systems rely on the compressor to circulate and pressurize refrigerant, which in turn creates the cooling effects that provide cool air. As one of the most crucial components, it is no surprise that a quality compressor can last over a decade with proper maintenance. However, the compressor’s longevity depends on several factors that can negatively impact its performance including high operating temperatures, unchecked refrigerant leaks, and general wear.
During operation, the compressor heats up as it compresses the refrigerant gas. This heating is due to internal mechanical work and to the fact that the compression process is not adiabatic. Achieving adiabatic compression requires large heat exchange surfaces and a relatively small gas volume. This is impractical, and in practice, the compressor uses a polytropic compression model that takes into account both a rise in temperature and a loss of energy.
In a practical air conditioner, the heated liquid refrigerant is passed to the condenser unit where it cools down and turns back into a gas. It is then routed to the evaporator coil inside the home where it absorbs warmth from the tepid indoor air, which causes the evaporator to turn back into a cold liquid again. The refrigerant is then rerouted back to the compressor where it starts the cycle all over again.
If your AC breaker trips frequently, it is a sign that something is wrong with the compressor. A failing compressor can overheat and draw too much current, causing the breaker to shut off power for safety. Usually, this happens after an ongoing problem has built up for months.
Condenser
The air conditioning system consists of an indoor unit and outdoor unit that work together to remove heat from your home. The key to this process is the AC condenser, a box-shaped piece of equipment installed outside your home on a concrete pad or attached to your house.
The condenser is filled with copper coils that help transfer absorbed heat from the air to the outdoor environment. It’s also where the refrigerant changes from a hot, high-pressure gas to a cool liquid. The refrigerant then travels through a suction line to the compressor, where it’s pressurized again. Then it moves to the expansion valve, where its pressure is lowered again before entering the evaporator coil located inside your house.
During the cooling cycle, your air conditioner’s fan blows over the evaporator coils, which absorbs heat from the indoor air before the refrigerant is blown across the outdoor condenser to transfer it into the air outside. This heat is then cooled by the evaporator coil, and the resulting cool air is sent back through the ducts and out into your living spaces.
Dirty, obstructed coils prevent heat transfer, forcing the system to work harder to cool your home. Regular cleaning can prevent these problems and extend the life of your air conditioning system.
Evaporator
The evaporator is the part of your air conditioner that cools your home. It holds the refrigerant sent in by the compressor, chilled and ready to be used. The evaporator coils take heat from the air in your home as it passes over them, cooling your house and making it comfortable.
A dirty evaporator coil affects your air conditioner in many ways. It makes the coil insulate, which stops it from absorbing heat from your home’s air and makes it work harder to get the job done. This extra work uses more energy and can increase your electricity bills significantly. Dirty coils also make your AC less effective at removing moisture from the air, which can lead to humidity problems.
While many design best practices apply across all coil types, some are specific to evaporator coils. These include distributor nozzle sizing, circuit arrangement, and fin spacing. The design of a good evaporator coil maximizes the amount of surface area and the flow rate of both liquid and air.
Evaporator coils can be either dry type using an expansion valve or flooded type with a level control. The former is often used on spray dryers to concentrate liquid foods prior to drying, because it saves energy by eliminating the formation of droplets of condensed water that would impede heat transfer (Kakac et al., 2012).
A clean evaporator coil makes your system more efficient. This allows it to cool your home faster and more effectively, while reducing energy consumption and pollution. A dirty evaporator coil costs you money in the long run and should be cleaned as part of your regular air conditioning maintenance. Keeping up with this maintenance prevents costly repairs later and extends the life of your air conditioner.
Fan
A fan is used to move air in a system. Although a fan cannot change the temperature of a room (unless it moves air from a cooler place to a warmer one) it can make people feel cool by increasing evaporation of skin moisture and by helping to dissipate body heat. It also makes the thermostat work harder because it has to compensate for the increased air temperature created by the moving of warm air over it.
Fan curves are a graphic presentation of a fan’s performance characteristics that show its ability to produce a given amount of airflow at various speeds and static pressures. Supplementary curves showing absorbed power, sound characteristics and a system curve are often presented. The point at which a fan can operate is called its peak power. Peak power is not necessarily a measure of reliability, but should be considered in conjunction with the other factors involved when selecting a fan.