GROUP TWO

NAME REGISTRATION NUMBER

NANYONJO SHAKIRAH 23/U/APE/2334/PE

WABWIRE SMITH RONNIE 23/U/APD/1560/GV
KITAKA EDRICK JOSHUA 23/U/APE/2049/PE
BAHATI HERBERT 23/U/APE/1866/PE
ECONI DRAKUA NOEL 22/U/APD/0887/GV
TIBAKUNO GEORGE WILLIAM 22/U/APD/1142/GV
COMPONENTS OF AIR CONDITIONING
SYSTEM
Components of the car A/C system

 The refrigeration system works on vapour compression cycle, where four distinct activities such as compression, condensation,
expansion (throttling), and evaporation of the refrigerant takes place.
 The five major components of the refrigeration system responsible for the above four functions are respectively compressor,
condenser, expansion valve, receiver/dryer and evaporator.
 The individual components of the refrigerant circuit are connected by tubes and/or aluminium pipes and thus form a closed system.
Refrigerant and refrigerant oil circulates in the closed-loop system, driven by the compressor. At some points, the refrigerant is a
liquid, and at others, it is a gas (vapor). Heat transfer occurs primarily through a change of state of the refrigerant
 Compressor

 The compressor is a mechanical device that circulates the refrigerant

gas and compresses it increasing its temperature and pressure. This
ensures efficient heat removal at the condenser.
 The compressor is the heart of the vehicle air-conditioning system and
is driven by the engine. Its key tasks are to generate the required flow
of refrigerant around the system and at the same time to compress it
sufficiently to raise its temperature above the ambient in order that
heat can be rejected from the system.
Compressor CTD;

How do they work?

 Compressors are driven by a multi-belt or a single serpentine belt drive from the engine crankshaft. A small idler pulley is normally
used in conjunction with a belt adjusting mechanism to absorb belt vibrations when a belt has a long distance between pulleys.
 A clutch is used to transmit the power from the engine crankshaft to the compressor by means of a drive belt. The clutch has an
electromagnetic pressure plate designed to connect the rotor pulley to the compressor shaft when the field coil is energized. When the
clutch is not engaged to the compressor, the shaft does not rotate and there is no refrigerant flow and the compressor pulley spins freely.

Effects of compressor Failure

A damaged or failed compressor can manifest itself as follows:

 Loss of sealing
 Development of noise
 Insufficient or no cooling performance
 Fault code is stored (automatic air conditioning)
Possible causes of compressor failure

 Bearing damage caused by a defective tensioner or by wear  Clogging in the A/C system circuit
 Loss of sealing of the compressor shaft or of the housing  Filter saturated with moisture
 Mechanical damage to the compressor housing  Humidity (corrosion etc.)
 Electrical connections  Compressor displacement regular valve defective (for
variable-displacement compressors only)
 Lack of refrigerant oil/refrigerant (30-35% more or 70-75%
less)
 Expansion valve stuck shut or blocked.
 Compressor displacement regular valve defective (for
variable-displacement compressors only)
Condenser

 The condenser’s job is to cool the refrigerant so that it turns

from a gas into a liquid or condenses. This happens when
warm outdoor air is blown across the condenser coil that is
filled with hot, gaseous refrigerant. This allows heat to
transfer from the refrigerant to the cooler outdoor air, where
the excess heat is rejected to the atmosphere.
Condenser ctd;

Location of the condenser How do they Work?

 The condenser is typically located in front of the radiator in  The hot refrigerant gas flows on top into the condenser and
the air stream so the maximum temperature differential transfers heat to the surroundings via the tube and fins. Due
exists to transfer the heat. to cooling down, the refrigerant exits the condenser at the
lower connection in a liquid state. Note that the refrigerant
 The placement of the condenser is also important for better flows from the top to the bottom of the coil.
efficiency. As the condenser is very hot, the maximum
surface area of the condenser needs to be exposed to ensure  In some designs, a sub-cool condenser is used. This
cooling at a faster rate. condenser redirects gaseous refrigerant to the top for further
cooling (gas-to-liquid) while the liquid refrigerant exits
from the bottom. This ensures all refrigerant discharged
from the condenser is in a liquid state.
Expansion device/ valve

 The expansion device is responsible for quickly driving the

pressure of the refrigerant down so it can boil (evaporate)
more easily in the evaporator. The expansion device has
one sole purpose: to reduce refrigerant pressure. Because
the pressure drops so rapidly at the expansion device, the
refrigerant turns into a combination of a cold liquid and
vapor. The energy content of the refrigerant does not
change as it passes through the valve. An orifice tube or
thermostatic expansion valves are the types of expansion
devices.
How do Expansion Valves Work?

 Expansion valves are usually spring-loaded devices with a diaphragm  thatIf the refrigerant temperature lowers at the end of the
is linked to a plunger. Without any pressure against the diaphragm from evaporator, the volume in the expansion valve decreases.
the gas in the capillary tube, the spring inside the expansion valve wouldAs a result, the expansion valve reduces the refrigerant flow
cause the valve to stick closed. to the evaporator.
Here is the sequence of events:

1. Warm, high-pressure liquid refrigerant flows to the expansion valve.

Effects of Expansion valve Failure
2. A low-pressure spray of cold refrigerant droplets passes through the
 Poor cooling capacity
expansion valve into the evaporator.
 Failure of the air conditioning system
3. As the cold spray contacts with the relatively warm tubing of the
Possible causes of valve failure:
evaporator, the refrigerant vaporizes (becomes a gas) and absorbs heat
from the evaporator and the air surrounding the evaporator.  Temperature problems due to overheating or icing
4. The refrigerant flow is controlled by the expansion valve depending  on Contaminations in the system leaks at the component or the
the refrigerant temperature.
connection pipes
 If the refrigerant temperature increases at the end of the
evaporator, it expands in the expansion valve. This results in
an increase of the refrigerant flow (injection quantity) to the
evaporator.
Evaporator

 The evaporator absorbs heat (and moisture) from the

passenger compartment. This happens when warm cabin air
is blown across the evaporator and as cold refrigerant
moves through the evaporator coil. Heat transfers from the
air to the refrigerant, which cools the air directly before it is
vented to the cabin. The refrigerant enters the evaporator in
a liquid state and as it absorbs the heat, it leaves into
vapour. The evaporator has a constant temperature and
pressure
Evaporator ctd;

How do they Work?

Effects of Failure
 The expansion valve and/or orifice tube
A defective evaporator exhibits the following
injects the highly pressurized liquid
symptoms:
refrigerant into the evaporator. The refrigerant
absorbs the heat and gets converted to low  Poor cooling performance
temperature, low-pressure vapour.
 Failure of the air conditioning system
 As the warmer air blows across the
 Poor ventilation performance
evaporator fins, moisture contained in that air
(humidity) will condense on the cooler Causes for the failure of the evaporator can be:
evaporator fins. Condensed moisture then
runs off through the drain tubes located at the
 Pipes blocked in the evaporator
underside of the evaporator case.
 Evaporator leaking (at the connection, caused
by damage)
 Evaporator contaminated (air passage
disturbed)
Receiver/Dryer

 A receiver/dryer or an accumulator/dryer stores refrigerant

and removes any moisture. This ensures system
effectiveness and protects the components from damage
caused by contaminants.
Dryer ctd;

 The amount of refrigerant flowing through the  To ensure the system is free from dirt preventing any
system varies depending on heat load and ambient excessive wear or premature failure of components.
(outside) temperature. Because of this, the extra  To remove moisture from the refrigerant ensuring no ice
refrigerant must be available for these different can form on any components within the system which may
conditions. The receiver acts as a storage tank for cause a blockage. Also, the moisture and refrigerant
the extra refrigerant. It also contains a filter and a (R134a) cause hydrofluoric and hydrochloric acid. The
silica gel beads (desiccant) located in the receiver/dryer
desiccant material in an internal sack to help
absorbs small quantities of moisture thus preventing acid
remove impurities and moisture in the refrigerant and ensures no internal corrosion can form.
system.
 To act as a temporary reservoir to supply the system under
 The dryer is located in the high-side of the system varying load conditions.
between the condenser and evaporator, ahead of  To allow only liquid refrigerant to flow to the expansion
the expansion valve. It stores liquid refrigerant valve.
until needed by the evaporator.
 How does the Combination
Receiver/Dryer Work?

The liquid refrigerant enters the filter dryer, flows through a

hygroscopic drying medium and leaves the filter dryer again
as a liquid. The upper part of the filter dryer serves as a
compensation chamber; at the same time, the lower part
serves as refrigerant storage in order to compensate for
fluctuations in pressure in the system.

The outlet of the receiver/dryer connects to a siphon tube that

goes to the bottom of the container.
 Effects of Receiver/Dryer Failure
A failure of the filter dryer may exhibit the following symptoms:
• Poor cooling capacity
• Failure of the air conditioning system
Causes for the failure of the filter dryer can be:
• Aging defective filter pad inside
• Leaks at the connections or caused by damage
Refrigerant

 Refrigerant is a working fluid that carries out the "transfer of heat process" by cycling through the air conditioning system and
absorbing heat when becoming a gas, and giving off heat when becoming a liquid. Refrigerant has a low boiling point and at low
temperatures, the refrigerant converts into gaseous form, while it stays liquid at a high temperature.
Other parts of the hvac

 AC pipes
 The primary purpose of a car air conditioning pipe is to
transport refrigerant throughout the AC system.
Car vents

 These include side de-misting vents, windshield

defrost vents, side vents, center vents and foot
vents
 Other parts also include adjusting louvers and
thumb wheels
HVAC controls

 These allow the driver to operate the ac as he or

she wishes.
 They include the air distribution control, blower
speed control, temperature, AC High ON/ AC ON
( Auto Climate control), AC low ON, Air re-
circulation switch, blower ON/OFF, In-Car
Temperature sensor