| How air conditioning works |
| The temperature in the passenger compartment depends on the amount of heat radiated through the windows and conducted by the metal parts of the body. In order to maintain comfortable temperatures for the occupants on very warm days, part of the available heat must be pumped away. |
| Since heat spreads towards cooler bodies, a unit that can create low temperatures is fitted in the vehicle interior. Refrigerant is constantly being evaporated in it. The latent heat of evaporation is taken from the air passing through the evaporator. |
| The refrigerant carries the heat with it as it is pumped away by the air conditioner compressor. The work performed by the air conditioner compressor on the refrigerant increases its heat content and its temperature. Its temperature is now considerably higher than that of the ambient air. |
| The hot refrigerant flows with its heat content to the condenser. There the refrigerant looses its heat through the condenser to the surrounding air due to the temperature gradient between the refrigerant and the surrounding air. |
| Thus, the refrigerant is a means of heat transport. Because it will be needed again, it returns to the evaporator. |
| All air conditioning systems basically depend on the circulation of refrigerant. However, there are differences in the construction of the system. |
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