There are several components of an air conditioner that makes it work effectively. The condenser is one of the primary components of your home’s air conditioning system. Your AC condenser is the outer part of the air conditioning unit. An air condition condenser cabinet houses several other components, including the controls, fan, compressor, and condenser coil.
The AC condenser fan is responsible for circulating air across the coil for effective heat transfer. A faulty AC condenser can lead to several problems. It may be an inefficient production of cool air, so you may have to spend more on energy bills for lesser output. It is critical to understand the function of an ac condenser.
Here are three primary importance of an air conditioner condenser:
AC condensers help in desuperheating
The term desuperheating may seem complex, but it simply means reducing the temperature of superheated steam. As your air conditioner operates, gaseous refrigerants escape from the evaporator coil after absorbing heat from your home. The escaping refrigerants enter the air conditioning compressor, which further increases the temperature of the refrigerant. As the temperature of the gaseous refrigerant continues to rise above its saturation temperature (a point where the refrigerant temperature can increase longer), the gas becomes superheated.
The superheated gas leaves the compressor and flows into the condenser. Here is where the condenser comes into play. For the superheated gas to become condensed into a liquid, the temperature has to be reduced to allow for transformation. That initial process of cooling is desuperheating. The superheated gas passes through the air conditioning condenser several times to further reduce the temperature of the superheated gas.
AC condensers are responsible for condensation
Once the superheated gas has been cooled, the condenser begins the condensation process. The process of condensation involves changing the gaseous refrigerant to a liquid refrigerant. This is where the condenser gets its name. The condenser has several fins, which help to dissipate heat to the air in your surroundings.
A fan on the air conditioning condenser makes it possible for heated air to cool off quickly. As the temperature of the superheated gas continues to reduce below its saturation temperature, the gaseous refrigerant slowly transforms into a liquid.
AC compressors are responsible for subcooling
We have discussed the role of AC condensers in desuperheating and condensation. One other primary importance of AC condensers is their ability to subcool the refrigerant so that your room can be effectively cooled. Once the refrigerant has been fully condensed, it becomes a saturated liquid (the point at which no more liquid can be formed).
At this point, cooling the liquid may become difficult. But the condenser swings into action and ensures that the saturated liquid is cooled below its saturation temperature. This process is called subcooling. However, as your AC condenser ages, the subcooling capacity of the condenser may reduce, which is why your room may no longer feel very cool even though the AC is running.
Maintain, repair, and replace your air conditioner condenser today
If you are having issues with your AC condenser, let us help you repair or replace your faulty air conditioner condenser today.
