How the Window Air Conditioner Works?

Now that we have seen the various parts of the window air conditioner, let us see its working. For understanding the working of the window AC please refer the figures given below. The working of window air conditioner can be explained by separately considering the two cycles of air: room air cycle and the hot air cycle. The compartments of the room and hot air are separated by an insulated partition inside the body of the air conditioner. The setting of thermostat and its working has also been explained in the discussions below.

The air moving inside the room and in the front part of the air conditioner where the cooling coil is located is considered to be the room air. When the window AC is started the blower starts immediately and after a few seconds the compressor also starts. The evaporator coil or the cooling gets cooled as soon as the compressor is started.

The blower behind the cooling coil starts sucking the room air, which is at high temperature and also carries the dirt and dust particles. On its path towards the blower, the room air first passes through the filter where the dirt and dust particles from it get removed.

The air then passes over the cooling coil where two processes occur. Firstly, since the temperature of the cooling coil is much lesser than the room air, the refrigerant inside the cooling coil absorbs the heat from the air. Due to this the temperature of the room air becomes very low, that is the air becomes chilled.

Secondly, due to reduction in the temperature of the air, some dew is formed on the surface of the cooling coil. This is because the temperature of the cooling coil is lower than the dew point temperature of the air. Thus the moisture from the air is removed so the relative humidity of the air reduces. Thus when the room air passes over the cooling coil its temperature and relative humidity reduces.

This air at low temperature and low humidity is sucked by the blower and it blows it at high pressure. The chilled air then passes through small duct inside the air conditioner and it is then thrown outside the air conditioner through the opening in the front panel or the grill. This chilled air then enters the room and chills the room maintaining low temperature and low humidity inside the room.

The cool air inside the room absorbs the heat and also the moisture and so its temperature and moisture content becomes high. This air is again sucked by the blower and the cycle repeats. Some outside air also gets mixed with this room air. Since this air is sent back to the blower, it is also called as the return room air. In this way the cycle of this return air or the room air keeps on repeating.

The hot air cycle includes the atmospheric air that is used for cooling the condenser. The condenser of the window air conditioner is exposed to the external atmosphere. The propeller fan located behind the condenser sucks the atmospheric at high temperature and it blows the air over the condenser.

The refrigerant inside the condenser is at very high temperature and it has to be cooled to produce the desired cooling effect. When the atmospheric air passes over the condenser, it absorbs the heat from the refrigerant and its temperature increases. The atmospheric air is already at high temperature and after absorbing the condenser heat, its temperature becomes even higher. The person standing behind the condenser of the window AC can clearly feel the heat of this hot air. Since the temperature of this air is very high, this is called as hot air cycle.

The refrigerant after getting cooled enters the expansion valve and then the evaporator. On the other hand, the hot mixes with the atmosphere and then the fresh atmospheric air is absorbed by the propeller fan and blown over the condenser. This cycle of the hot air continues.