Air conditioning in a motor vehicle is a combination of the car heater and a refrigerant circuit. This allows the desired climatic conditions to be maintained regardless of the outdoor conditions. This makes air conditioning a significant factor for safety and driving comfort.

The refrigerant circuit
The individual components in the refrigerant circuit are connected with one another by hoses forming a closed system. The refrigerant circulates in the system driven by the compressor. The circuit is divided up into two sections: The section between the compressor and expansion valve is called the high-pressure side (yellow/red). Between the expansion valve and compressor we speak of the low-pressure side (blue).

In the compressor the gaseous refrigerant is compressed and thereby heated highly. Under high pressure it is pressed through the condenser. Here heat is removed from the highly heated refrigerant causing to condense and thereby changing its state from gaseous to liquid.

The drier, the next station, separates impurities and air inclusions from the now liquid refrigerant. This ensures the effectiveness of the system and protects the components from damage resulting from contamination. Then it passes from the drier to the expansion valve. This valve is similar to a dam. In front of the dam it maintains a uniform pressure, and in back of the dam this pressure is relieved due to the increase in volume. Since the expansion valve is located directly in front of the evaporator, the refrigerant expands into the evaporator. During evaporation, a change in the state from liquid to gaseous, heat is absorbed from the surroundings.

The evaporator is a heat exchanger similar to the condenser. It has an enormously large surface, over which it can absorb heat from the surroundings for evaporation. This cold air is then blown into the vehicle passenger compartment by the ventilation system where it ensures the comfort of the passengers. On the low pressure side the refrigerant is again gaseous flows to the compressor where the circuit starts over again.