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Car Air Conditioning, Auto Air Conditioning And A/C
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Published: March 5, 2007
One of the worst possible scenarios for drivers, besides an accident, is being stuck in a hot car with no air conditioning. Excessive heat and lack of ventilation in such a small confined space can be torturous especially during summer months. Thanks to advancements in technology car air conditioning is becoming more ubiquitous, and the problems and constant repairs that plagued earlier car air conditioning systems are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
Today almost all modern vehicles contain automatic temperature control or ATC.
ATC is a car air conditioning system that allows the driver to control the heating and cooling temperatures inside of the car. The driver selects the desired level of coolness and the auto a/c system automatically adjusts.
Although auto air conditioning units may vary from vehicle to vehicle, they are all essentially designed to utilize the same components: compressor, condenser, receiver-drier, thermal expansion valve, evaporator, and refrigerant. All of these components work in tandem to produce central air conditioning inside a car.
Car air conditioning first begins with the condenser, which is powered by the vehicle's engine. The condenser functions as a pump that changes the refrigerant from vapor to liquid form. The liquid refrigerant is then passed to the receiver-drier where it stored until all of the moisture has been removed. This is important because moisture can create blockage. From there, the liquid refrigerant is circulated under high pressure to the thermal expansion where it is again changed back into vapor form. The process ends with the refrigerant vapor being passed through the evaporator, which absorbs heart from the inside of the vehicle and allows the cold air to circulate.
Perhaps one of the most crucial changes applied to car air conditioning systems is the ban of the refrigerant R-12, also known as Freon, by both the Montreal Pact and the United States Clean Air Act of 1990. Both of these laws were enforced to protect the Earth's ozone layer from harmful chlorofluorocarbons and other chemicals. In 1992, R-12 was replaced by a more environmentally safe refrigerant called R-134A . The regulations also stipulate that mechanics are required to be certified and own specialized equipment in order to obtain refrigerant and perform car air conditioning repairs.
Vehicle owners can take preventive measures to save themselves the expense of having a mechanic perform auto air conditioning repairs. One preventative measure is to use the car air conditioning system on a regular basis in order to maintain sufficient lubrication of seals and components. Another preventative measure is to regularly inspect the car air conditioning system for any signs of damage, leaks, or corrosion. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that all repairs be performed by a professional.
Although car air conditioning may seem like a miracle on a hot summer day, it's really just a clever product of science. It's important to take care of a car air conditioning system in order to receive a timely and dependable delivery of cold air. Vehicle owners would be wise to regularly inspect their air condition systems themselves or under the eyes of a professional mechanic to keep the gift of automatic temperature control intact.
Sources:
Bede, Chris. “Automotive Air Conditioning Systems.” The Family Car. 1996-2007. SmartTrac Computer Systems, Inc. 2 Mar. 2007 <http://www.familycar.com/ac1.htm>.
Nichols, W. G. “Air Conditioning.” Chilton's Easy Car Care. 1998. AutoZone. 2 Mar. 2007 <http://www.procarcare.com/icarumba/resourcecen ter/encyclopedia/icar_resourcecenter_encyclopedia_ />Romans, Brent. “Air Conditioning.” edmunds.com. 1995-2007. Edmunds, Inc. 2 Mar. 2007 <http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/techcenter/ar ticles/46869/article.html>.
Today almost all modern vehicles contain automatic temperature control or ATC.
Related Articles
Although auto air conditioning units may vary from vehicle to vehicle, they are all essentially designed to utilize the same components: compressor, condenser, receiver-drier, thermal expansion valve, evaporator, and refrigerant. All of these components work in tandem to produce central air conditioning inside a car.
Car air conditioning first begins with the condenser, which is powered by the vehicle's engine. The condenser functions as a pump that changes the refrigerant from vapor to liquid form. The liquid refrigerant is then passed to the receiver-drier where it stored until all of the moisture has been removed. This is important because moisture can create blockage. From there, the liquid refrigerant is circulated under high pressure to the thermal expansion where it is again changed back into vapor form. The process ends with the refrigerant vapor being passed through the evaporator, which absorbs heart from the inside of the vehicle and allows the cold air to circulate.
Perhaps one of the most crucial changes applied to car air conditioning systems is the ban of the refrigerant R-12, also known as Freon, by both the Montreal Pact and the United States Clean Air Act of 1990. Both of these laws were enforced to protect the Earth's ozone layer from harmful chlorofluorocarbons and other chemicals. In 1992, R-12 was replaced by a more environmentally safe refrigerant called R-134A . The regulations also stipulate that mechanics are required to be certified and own specialized equipment in order to obtain refrigerant and perform car air conditioning repairs.
Vehicle owners can take preventive measures to save themselves the expense of having a mechanic perform auto air conditioning repairs. One preventative measure is to use the car air conditioning system on a regular basis in order to maintain sufficient lubrication of seals and components. Another preventative measure is to regularly inspect the car air conditioning system for any signs of damage, leaks, or corrosion. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that all repairs be performed by a professional.
Although car air conditioning may seem like a miracle on a hot summer day, it's really just a clever product of science. It's important to take care of a car air conditioning system in order to receive a timely and dependable delivery of cold air. Vehicle owners would be wise to regularly inspect their air condition systems themselves or under the eyes of a professional mechanic to keep the gift of automatic temperature control intact.
Sources:
Bede, Chris. “Automotive Air Conditioning Systems.” The Family Car. 1996-2007. SmartTrac Computer Systems, Inc. 2 Mar. 2007 <http://www.familycar.com/ac1.htm>.
Nichols, W. G. “Air Conditioning.” Chilton's Easy Car Care. 1998. AutoZone. 2 Mar. 2007 <http://www.procarcare.com/icarumba/resourcecen ter/encyclopedia/icar_resourcecenter_encyclopedia_ />Romans, Brent. “Air Conditioning.” edmunds.com. 1995-2007. Edmunds, Inc. 2 Mar. 2007 <http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/techcenter/ar ticles/46869/article.html>.
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