Gas is used in air conditioning systems primarily as a refrigerant to facilitate the transfer of heat. Air conditioning systems work by removing heat from indoor spaces and releasing it outside, thereby cooling the indoor environment.
Here's how it works:
Compression: The refrigerant gas is compressed by a compressor in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner. Compression increases the pressure and temperature of the gas.
Condensation: The hot, high-pressure gas then flows into the condenser coils, where it dissipates heat to the surrounding air and condenses into a high-pressure liquid.
Expansion: The high-pressure liquid refrigerant passes through an expansion valve or capillary tube, which causes it to rapidly expand and decrease in pressure. This expansion also causes the refrigerant to cool significantly.
Evaporation: The cool, low-pressure liquid enters the indoor evaporator coils. As warm air from the indoor space passes over these coils, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the air, causing it to evaporate into a low-pressure gas.
Return to Compressor: The low-pressure gas returns to the compressor to restart the cycle.
The gas used as a refrigerant in air conditioning systems undergoes this cycle repeatedly, absorbing heat from indoor spaces and releasing it outdoors, thereby cooling the indoor environment.
Different types of gases have been used as refrigerants over the years, with varying environmental impacts. As mentioned earlier, there has been a shift away from ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) towards more environmentally friendly alternatives like hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), hydrocarbons, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. These alternatives help mitigate climate change and reduce environmental harm.
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