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Lionel Boulin • May 12, 2019

How Does an AC Refrigerant Work?

Refrigerant is at the heart of an air conditioning system. Every AC uses a refrigerant, a cooling substance responsible for chilling indoor air. Today, Home Air Services explains how a refrigerant works.

Absorbing and Expelling Heat

All home heating companies will tell you that an air conditioner cools the air with the aid of phase conversion. This physical law states that heat absorption happens when a liquid turns to gas, which is exactly what a refrigerant does.

An air conditioner forces a liquid refrigerant to evaporate as warm air flows over it. The heat is then transferred to the gaseous refrigerant. As the fluid moves to the condenser through a set of coils, the heat is released and evacuated with the help of a second fan.

Repeating the Cycle

Once the absorbed heat is gone, the gas cools down and reverts to its liquid state. The refrigerant repeats this cycle endlessly to keep chilling the air whenever the thermostat commands.

Experienced air conditioner maintenance experts like Home Air Services can attest that any component involved in the phase conversion process can become faulty. When something is wrong with these components, an AC may underperform or break down completely.

Chilling Air More Quickly

The most popular AC refrigerant these days is R-410A. It’s compatible only with high-pressure air conditioning systems, however, so it can’t be used in older AC models. R-410A has excellent heat transfer properties, which is why it’s a more reliable option if you wish to cool a space faster while using less energy.

R-410A is about to become the new standard refrigerant for ACs in the United States. Honest AC installation and  duct cleaning companies will tell you that one of the refrigerants it’s replacing is R-22, an ozone-depleting substance. R-410A is not totally green itself, but it is the next step toward sustainability.

Turn to Home Air Services to ready your air conditioner for the cooling season. Call us at (301) 269-3004 to request service and ensure that your AC is energy efficient, reliable and eco-friendly when summer rolls around.

 

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