How Air Conditioner Condensers Work

An air conditioning condenser works in conjunction with an air conditioning compressor. The unit is powered on, and then the refrigerant--a chemical liquid that easily converts to gas--is circulated to the compressor. The refrigerant is compressed, forcing the refrigerant's molecules to become compacted. The refrigerant, then develops increased energy, which, in turn causes it to increase in temperature. As a result, the refrigerant changes into a gas form that flows into the condenser.

The refrigerant, now in its hot, high-pressure gas form, flows into the condenser, which is located on the outside of the air conditioning unit. The compressor's radiator design allows the hot refrigerant to flow through it, letting off its heat into the atmosphere as it cools.

The air conditioning system is equipped with a fan that blows air through the condenser coils, further cooling the refrigerant inside. This causes the refrigerant to condense--cooling down and reverting back to its liquid state.

The condenser forces the refrigerant to cool under high pressure. The pressure causes the refrigerant to drop from a very high temperature, to a very low temperature.

The fluid then leaves the condenser, and then flows into the evaporator, which changes the refrigerant from a liquid into a gas by causing a drop in its temperature. Evaporation causes the refrigerant to absorb heat from the air, and this heat is then released through the evaporation coils. This results in a low-temperature, low-pressure gas that is ready to begin the air conditioning process again.

Resources

• How Does Air Conditioning Work?
• Compressor & Condenser Inspection, Defects, & Compressor Replacement