The basic concept is that a chemical called a refrigerant loops from inside the home to outside and back again, absorbing and casting out heat in the process. The refrigerant cools and then re-enters the home, starting the cycle anew. two refrigerants commonly used in residential Las Vegas air conditioner are R-22 and the newer R-410A, both of which are chemically known as hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).
These chemicals go back and forth from a liquid to a gaseous state very easily, and it is these so-called phase transitions that make HCFCs so useful as refrigerants. Removing heat is not all that an air conditioner does as it, ahem, conditions the air. Humidity the amount of water vapor in the air is a major factor in how our bodies feel the heat; a more humid environment prevents sweat from evaporating off the skin, which helps to whisk away unwanted bodily warmth.
A common phase transition we've all seen is when liquid water is heated and evaporates into a gas, or water vapor. The same goes for the refrigerant: it absorbs heat in its liquid state, transforming into a gas. The refrigerant is then forced to return to being a liquid, expelling the heat it absorbed and thus made ready to soak up heat once again. The vaporized refrigerant then passes into the compressor, which is located outside in the air conditioning unit adjacent to a home (or often on the roof of a business), along with the condenser. As the name implies, the compressor compresses the gas to a state of higher pressure and higher temperature.
From there, the hot, pressurized gas flows over the third component, the condenser. Here, the gas is condensed back into its liquid state as heat is radiated away. Outdoor units often have metal fins on them to help dissipate the heat more quickly.
The cooled-off liquid is now returned into the home. The expansion device regulates the flow of liquid refrigerant into the evaporator, where just as before it will absorb heat and change phase from a liquid into a low-pressure gas.
The air conditioner sucks air into the ducts through a vent. This air is used to cool gas in the evaporator, and as the heat is removed from the air, it’s cooled. Ducts then blow air back into the house.
This process continues until the inside air of your home or business reaches the desired temperature. When the thermostat senses that the interior temperature is at the desired level, it shuts the air conditioner off. When the room heats up again, the thermostat turns the Las Vegas air conditioner back on until the preferred ambient temperature is achieved again.
The best air conditioner is the one you don’t have to think about. It comes on the moment the indoor temperature set on the thermostat requires cooling performance, and then runs quietly and efficiently when needed. But when it’s time to perform routine maintenance, make repairs or replace your system, it’s helpful to understand how an air conditioning system works.
