Level––4/Term

Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 1

Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

WHY AC SYSTEM?
• Stopped in traffic on a may afternoon?
• Sweat drips all over your body?
• Hands feel like they are about to slip away from the steering
wheel due to sweat?
• Need a luxurious and a comfortable ride?
• Why don’t you attach an automotive air conditioning system to
your ride, which 99% of all new cars produced since 2010 are
equipped with?

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 2

Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

HOW DOES IT WORK?

• Main function- to cool and remove humidity from air inside the car.
• Parts of a typical car AC system are:
(i)Compressor (ii)Condenser (iii)Receiver or Dryer
(iv)Expansion valve (v) Evaporator

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 3

Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

COMPRESSOR

• It is a pump driven by a belt attached to the engine’s crankshaft.

• Puts the refrigerant gas under pressure and forces it to the condenser.
• It cant compress liquids, only gases.
• By increasing the pressure the refrigerant gas leaving the compressor
becomes hot.
• Also called as heart of the air conditioning system.
• Earlier freons(R-12) were used as refrigerants. Nowadays they are
replaced by environment friendly HFC(R-134a).

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 4

Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

CONDENSER

• Identified as second radiator of the car that shares air flow with
main radiator.
• Has its own cooling fans that become active when AC is on.
• Takes up the heat from the high pressure refrigerant gas and
cools it.
• Condensing of the refrigerant gas causes it to loose heat and
form into a liquid.
• Heat is expelled into the atmosphere by the air flowing from
the cooling fans.

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 5

Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

RECEIVER OR DRYER

• Small reservoir installed in the line of the condenser.

• Main function is to remove moisture and other contaminants
from the cool refrigerant liquid.
• Contains small granules called desiccants that attract water.
• If water is not removed, it can form ice crystals, thereby
damaging the whole system.

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 6

Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

EXPANSION VALVE
• Here the pressure of refrigerant is reduced causing expansion of
the liquid, resulting in further cooling.
• Slowly the liquid reverts back into a gaseous form.
• Also the valve reduces pressure on the refrigerant so it can
easily move into the evaporator.
• The valve senses pressure and regulates
the flow of refrigerant, which allows the
system to operate steadily.

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 7

Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

EVAPORATOR

• Radiator like device buried deep under the dashboard.

• Refrigerant gas enters the evaporator coils and absorbs the heat
inside the car’s cabin and moves out of the coils.
• A fan blowing over the outside of the evaporator coil blows
cool air into the passenger compartment.
• Thus the evaporator takes humidity out of the air in the car,
which helps you feel cool.

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 8

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM FOR EASY
UNDERSTANDING
Level––4/Term
Level 3/Term–II
–1 ME 363 (N)
ME 415 Building Services-II
AUTOMOBILE : Mechanical Equipment
ENGINEERING

Thank you…
Anyways, let us minimize the usage of ACs and go
green!

Automotive Air Conditioning Systems 10