In an air conditioning system, what takes heat from the air and brings it to the refrigerant?

In an air conditioning system, the evaporator is the component responsible for absorbing heat from the air and transferring it to the refrigerant. As air passes over the evaporator coils, the refrigerant inside those coils absorbs heat from the air, causing the refrigerant to change from a liquid to a vapor. This process not only cools the air that is circulated through the space but also effectively lowers the temperature of the surrounding air.

The roles of the other components contribute to the overall function of the air conditioning system but do not involve directly taking heat from the air:

• The compressor pumps the refrigerant and increases its pressure and temperature, moving it through the system.

• The condenser releases the absorbed heat from the refrigerant to the outside air, allowing the refrigerant to condense back into a liquid state.

• The expansion valve regulates the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator and reduces its pressure, preparing it to absorb heat efficiently.

Understanding the specific roles of each component clarifies how the evaporator plays a vital role in cooling the air by directly taking heat from it.