The Vital Role of A/C Refrigerant in Your Vehicle’s Cooling System

When it’s hot outside and you have to be on the road, you want your vehicle’s air condition system to have the ability to blast out the air so cold that you start shivering. However, it may surprise you to learn that your air conditioning system actually blows hot air without the hot gasses. Your vehicle actually uses a refrigerant, such as R1234yf refrigerant, to cool your vehicle. This is what you should know about refrigerants.

Refrigerant Explained

Refrigerant is a fluid or gas you add to your cooling system. You use this fluid in heat cycles because it moves heat from one place to another. You can locate this refrigerant in the copper coils of an air conditioning system. It typically starts as a low-pressure gas until it begins absorbing heat.

When it becomes liquid, it gets pushed outside the coils, where a fan blows hot air across them. The heat moves through the system, which finally exhausts them. When it cools, your refrigerant cools. It returns to the coils as it becomes restored to a gaseous state. Then, your system blows air over the cool coils into your vehicle.

Absorbing Heat From the Cabin Air

During the air conditioning process, the refrigerant gets converted into a liquid. This liquid absorbs heat from the surrounding air. What happens is that the heat blows over the coils, heating the liquid coolant. The coolant then absorbs the heat and turns into a gas.

When the gas moves through the compressor, the high pressure in the system extracts the heat from the refrigerant, which then returns to a liquid form. This liquid then moves back into the coils. Although the refrigerant removes the heat initially, when it turns into a gas, the compressor and exhaust system move it out of the vehicle.  

Colling Down & Heat Absorption

The system blows air over the copper coils filled with refrigerant. This occurs after the compressor removes any heat from the refrigerant, turning it back into a liquid. The air cools as it passes over the coils, and this cool air is what you feel coming through the vents in your car. Your vehicle repeats this process, so the air blowing over your coils always cools.

Cooling System Parts

Your air conditioning system has several parts. In addition to the copper coils, your car has a condenser, which removes heat from the refrigerant, and a dryer, which filters and pulls water from your refrigerant. You also have a valve or tube that lowers the pressure to reduce the temperature of your refrigerant and turn it into liquid form. Finally, your vehicle has an evaporator or exhaust that releases hot air or gas from your system.

These systems must remain completely sealed, and all parts must be in working order. You may search for interior car accessories near me for some of your vehicle’s accessories, including refrigerant recharges when your system gets low. However, you need to address leaks in the system immediately to prevent compressor damage.

As you learn more about your vehicle’s air conditioning system and the role of refrigerants in cooling your interior, consider the type of refrigerant you use. Search for ozone-safe options where you also find other accessories, such as car floor mats.