Air Conditioning A / C (AC aircondition)

Air conditioning (Air Condition in English, hence the identification of controls "A / C") can be divided into automatic and mechanical control. Automatic climate control itself takes care of air exchange and compliance with the set temperature inside the car. In contrast, conditioning with mechanical control gives only cold air, regulation and possible mixing of cold and warm air is on the crew. The basic principle, that is, cooling the air in the cabin is the same for both air conditioning. Supply air can be fresh from the vicinity of the car, or may be cooled by air from the cabin (when closed recirculation).

Refrigerant air conditioning in cars is a gas. Acts as a cooling medium transport means for heat dissipation. Since 1995, the agent may only be used with the designation R-134a . This substance is a colorless liquid state as water in a gaseous state is invisible. It's actually a chemical combination of fluorine, carbon and hydrogen. It contains no chlorine atoms as the previously used medium marked the 12th R Medium R 12 adversely influenced the ozone layer of Earth's atmosphere, it was prohibited.

Principle:

The principle of air conditioning in the vehicle is simple and very similar to the refrigerator. To cool the cabin must be removed from the heat. This requires a cooling circuit, which consists of a compressor, condenser, expansion valve and evaporator. Let us describe the flow shown in the picture below.

1 / compressor sucks low-pressure gaseous refrigerant part. Refrigerant is compressed by the compressor and driven into the high branches of the air conditioning system. The temperature rise due to increased pressure.

2 / Now refrigerant passes through the condenser, which transfers part of heat energy obtained by the surrounding air. It will liquify the refrigerant. The capacitor is actually a second smaller radiator, usually mounted on the engine cooler.

3 / In addition, refrigerant in the liquid state under high pressure and lower temperature than the compression of the compressor, through the expansion valve. While passing through the expansion valve expands and loses its thermal energy that was consumed in the gas phase change.

4 / coolant in gaseous state, low temperature and low pressure flows into the evaporator. Its passage it cools. Evaporator cooler is actually another, through which fresh air flows into the cab of the vehicle. Fresh air is cooled it and blown away by cab. Refrigerant from the evaporator is sucked by the compressor and the air circulation closed.

What you may not know:

How to increase the consumption of air conditioning?
Air conditioning increases fuel consumption, cabin cooling when the outdoor temperature 31 ° C to 22 ° C in the cockpit may briefly rise consumption by about 2.5 to 4 liters per 100 km. This higher consumption by ADAC, however, takes only about three minutes. Keeping the temperature according to the driving style requires 0.76 to 2.11 liters per 100 kilometers. German automobile club ADAC also measured the increase in consumption in a small Ford Fiesta 1.4 for air conditioning is turned on and ride around the city more than two liters. While the more powerful Audi A4 2.0 TDI with automatic Climatronic was an increase in consumption of just 0.7 liters.

Tips for using air conditioning:
To reduce fuel consumption, thoroughly ventilate the interior soon!

Before the end of the path is good, before the car stops, the air conditioning off. This system gets the moisture that might otherwise cause an unpleasant smell in the car.

Air should pass every two years to control. If air conditioning is not working as it should and no longer cool, probably is filling. Then complete service.

Man best tolerates temperatures between 21 ° C and 23 ° C. Gradual leveling of temperatures between the cabin and the environment from destination to avoid thermal shock to the body. It is generally recommended to reduce the temperature in the vehicle for 4 to 5 ° C.

How long does air conditioning refill?
If air conditioning is not used for a long time (eg during winter), occurs in the system for the establishment of micro-organisms and bacteria, which then increases the temperature begin to thrive. This may be accompanied by unpleasant odors and mold formation. Professional intervention services every two years, it can be prevented! Disinfection is carried out well more often.

Maintenance and servicing of air conditioning:
In today's automotive air conditioning is almost an obvious thing, and hardly anyone pays attention to it. When the air conditioning works and cools, most drivers do not care about her. Ordinary motorist will know that air begins to lose efficiency. Filling air conditioning, refrigerant R-134a, is slowly disappearing from the system even efficiency decreases slowly. Activities to stop most air conditioning safety system to evaluate the loss of too much pressure in the system.

The actual loss of refrigerant may be a sign of poor conditioning. For new cars with a fully functioning air conditioning also leads to cuts in refrigerants. This is due to large working pressures (about 2 MPa), also seals and hoses can be porous.

The inspection interval is air conditioning for new cars after 4 years and then every 2 years. Control and air conditioning maintenance services carried out using special equipment. Automatic filling machine first refrigerant suction and clean at the same time, the air conditioning vyvakuuje (thereby removing moisture), eventually make back the cleaned coolant. The mechanic also check system for leaks and make compressor oil. This service takes about 3 hours and costs 700 to 1000 crowns.

Why and how it is done disinfecting air conditioning?
Air conditioning is an ideal setting for the spread of disease germs, microorganisms and fungi, which penetrate into the car and the crew is breathing. Forcing it to her coughing and difficulty breathing caused by others. Because air conditioning is needed 1-2 times a year to disinfect. Use the disinfectant solution injected under pressure into the air conditioning system is removed microorganisms, the whole procedure is not something complicated, it takes about ½ hour and arrives at CZK 400-500.

How do we know that air conditioning needs disinfection?
It depends on how often you use air conditioning. If you turn on the internal circulation of smell after 5-10 minutes, kind of musty, something is wrong.

Text: John Sajdl
Photo: sources of Skoda Auto as
Keywords: air conditioning, technique, maintenance, service