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How a Cooling system operates

Residential cooling systems use a sealed refrigerant system to lower the structure's air temperature to a comfortable level. A typical system consists of an indoor cooling coil (evaporator) connected by tubing to an outdoor (condensing) unit. The (evaporator) coil is mounted on a warm air furnace, using the filter and blower in the furnace. Other coils may be installed with their own blowers, all in a separate cabinet.

Cooling Cycle

  1. Refrigerant gas is pumped by means of a compressor into the outdoor condensing coil.
  2. The outdoor fan pulls air over the condensing coil, cooling the refrigerant and changing it to a liquid.
  3. The liquid refrigerant, under pressure, flows from the outdoor coil to the indoor cooling coil.
  4. Pressure is then released at the indoor coil, changing the refrigerant to a low temperature gas that cools the tubes and fins of the coil. As air (propelled by the blower) passes over the coil, its temperature is reduced and condensation takes place. This additional benefit of removing water from the air is known as dehumidification. This water is disposed of through a condensate drain.
  5. The refrigerant gas, now warmer after picking up heat from the air, is pulled back to the outdoor condensing unit by the compressor and the cycle starts over.

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