Get Educated About Refrigerant

A central air conditioner has many mechanical components, but the crucial element in its ability to cool is the refrigerant it contains. Refrigerants are chemical compounds called hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC), and R-410A is the one now used in new cooling systems.

The Role of Refrigerants in Home Air Conditioners

Refrigerant doesn’t make cold air — it’s used to draw heat out of the air inside your home and release it outside. In order to transfer heat, it has to be converted from a gas into a liquid and back. This transformation takes place inside the air conditioner in a closed circuit of metal tubing that connects four components — the compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator.

When the thermostat calls for cooling and the A/C cycles on, here’s the route the refrigerant takes through the circuit:

• First, it flows as a low-pressure gas into the outdoor compressor, which compresses and heats it so it exits as a high-pressure gas.
• From there it moves along to the condenser where it converts to liquid form and releases heat in the process. The condenser is a copper coil equipped with metal fins to boost its surface area and make heat transfer more efficient. A fan positioned above it helps heat dissipate faster.
• Now a high-pressure liquid, it moves indoors and enters the expansion valve, where the flow gets restricted to reduce pressure and cool it down rapidly.
• The cool, low-pressure liquid travels along to the evaporator, which is another metal-finned copper coil. Here, it absorbs heat from the air as it transforms back into a gas. The blower fan sitting just above helps move warm air across the coil, and pushes newly-cooled air into the duct system.
• Now laden with heat, the low-pressure gas moves outdoors again to the compressor, and the cooling cycle repeats until the thermostat’s target temperature is reached.
• Too little or too much refrigerant due to under/over charging or leaks can impact an A/Cs ability to cool or even harm key system components.

To learn more about the refrigerant that keeps your Orlando home cool and comfortable, contact Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions.