Air Conditioning Parts
The air conditioning system itself is made up of several main parts. The refrigerant flows from the air conditioning (AC)
compressor to the condenser, in front of the radiator, where it releases heat to the atmosphere. Then, heated refrigerant flows to the expansion
valve or fixed-orifice tube. Just past this, in the evaporator, it absorbs heat from inside the cabin before heading back to the compressor. Along the
way, the refrigerant (usually R-134a or R-1234yf) goes through tubes and hoses, a filter and a dryer.
Aside from the switch to engage the air conditioning, the electrical system uses pressure sensors to determine when to cycle,engage and
disengage the electromagnetic (EM) clutch. On conventional vehicles, the clutch is driven by V-belts or the serpentine belt. On hybrid and electric
vehicles, the air conditioning compressor is powered directly by a high-voltage electric motor, some of which go up to 400 volts. Less-common are
adjustable-swash-plate compressors, which adjust their output without cycling.
