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| Illustration 1 | g02323393 |
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(1) Refrigerant compressor
(2) Magnetic clutch and pulley assembly | |
The refrigerant compressor operates as the pump in the air conditioning system. The purpose of the refrigerant compressor is to keep the refrigerant and lubricating oil circulating, and to increase the refrigerant pressure and thus temperature.
Refrigerant compressor (1) receives driving force from the engine through magnetic clutch and pulley assembly (2) via the serpentine belt.
The refrigerant compressor provides the following three functions in the refrigerant system: Suction, Pumping and Compression.
Suction lowers the refrigerant pressure in the evaporator. Metered restriction is provided by the expansion valve. Metered restriction allows high pressure liquid to be reduced to a vapor of low pressure. Reducing the vapor to low pressure helps with the evaporation of refrigerant, which leads to continuous cooling.
Pumping circulates the refrigerant in the air conditioning system. Circulating the refrigerant also leads to continuous cooling.
Compressing the refrigerant changes the refrigerant from a gas to a liquid. The condenser assists in this process. When pressure increases, the temperature of saturation increases. The compressor changes the refrigerant from a low pressure to a high pressure. When low pressure is changed to high pressure, latent heat of condensation is given up. So, when the refrigerant is sent through the condenser, latent heat of condensation is given up.