What Function Does an Air Conditioner Serve?
The function of an air conditioning system is to maintain the temperature in a room or building within an acceptable range. Air conditioning can be used in both domestic and commercial environments.
An air conditioner works by removing humidity from the air. A compressor pressurizes refrigerant that has been expanded through a cooling coil inside the evaporator section of the unit. The compressed gas enters a condenser at high speed, where it is cooled by coming into contact with coils carrying cold water from the central cooling water system. It then passes through another heat exchanger which is part of the supply ducting for conditioned air. The condensed hot gas is now at low pressure and so turns back to a liquid state.
How Does an Air Conditioner Work?
An air conditioner works by removing humidity from the air. A compressor pressurizes refrigerant that has been expanded through a cooling coil inside the evaporator section of the unit. The compressed gas enters a condenser at high speed, where it is cooled by coming into contact with coils carrying cold water from the central cooling water system. It then passes through another heat exchanger which is part of the supply ducting for conditioned air. The condensed hot gas is now at low pressure and so turns back to a liquid state. Usually when this process malfunctions, then it's generally the right time to fix or replace your unit.
The primary components required for an air conditioning system are an outdoor unit (condenser) that sits outside your home or office (typically mounted on top of your roof), and an indoor unit (evaporator).
What Modes Does an Air Conditioner Have?
There are a number of modes an air conditioning unit can have, including:
- On Mode - In this mode, the air conditioner is either heating or cooling your home or office with fresh, filtered air. In general, it will run until either the temperature reaches the set point (heating), or it drops below the setpoint (cooling). It is normal to hear running appliances in this mode as they cycle on and off as needed to maintain temperature. If you don't want to hear them then you should use fan-only mode.
- Fan Mode - In this mode, only the fan runs inside your home/office to keep indoor air circulating. Useful for summertime where no cooling or heating is required.
How To Make Sure Your Air Conditioner Works
The best way to ensure your air conditioning unit works properly is by having it regularly serviced. This will help your system work better and longer, maintain an acceptable temperature for your home or office, and prevent unnecessary wear & tear on the internal components of your system. It's also worthwhile knowing how much electricity an air conditioner uses in different modes so you can make decisions about what you would prefer running at any given time.
Selecting The Best Mode For Your Air Conditioner
The mode you select for your air conditioning system will depend on the activities that are planned for the area. If it is a commercial space then you may want to have fans running in fan-only mode, but if it is a residential space with people moving around you could opt for cooling. On Mode works best when an acceptable temperature cannot be maintained - so generally this would apply to spaces where there are no people or activities taking place.
If you find that your unit doesn't seem to be working as well as usual then it's probably time to find an AC company for professional help! A properly serviced air conditioner should always provide the temperature and comfort level that you desire, without undue wear & tear.