How does an air conditioner or split system work. The device and principle of operation of split systems, mobile, window and evaporative air conditioners Proper operation of the split system

Decor elements 25.06.2019

Decor elements

Despite the fact that there are air conditioners in almost every home, only a few users correctly imagine the scheme of such a device and how it works, it is connected. In this article, we will try to expand on this topic.

General scheme of the air conditioner

The whole system is built on the ability of substances to absorb heat during evaporation and release it during condensation. Such an air conditioner scheme is incorporated into the operation of a modern split system. The main substance inside closed system device is freon. Having the ability to change its state of aggregation by changing temperature and pressure, we will be able to cool the radiator and drive air from the street through it.

But first, let's get acquainted with the main elements of the split system. The scheme and principle of operation of the air conditioner involve the use of two blocks: outdoor and indoor. What are they needed for?

outdoor unit

This unit is installed outdoors and mainly serves to cool superheated freon (it does not take air from the street, the air conditioner is used to cool the air in the room. Ventilation units are used to take in street air). It consists of the following nodes:

Fan.
Capacitor. In this part, freon is cooled and condensed. The air that passes through the condenser is heated and vented outside.
Compressor. The main element of the air conditioner, which compresses freon and circulates it throughout the circuit.
Control block. It is usually used in outdoor units of inverter systems. In conventional air conditioners, all electronics are most often located in the indoor unit.

4 way valve. It is used in models that can work for heating (most modern air conditioners). This element, when the heating function is activated, changes the direction of the refrigerant flow. As a result, the outdoor and indoor units change places: the internal one works for heating, the external one - for cooling.
Various fitting connections, through which copper pipes are connected between the indoor and outdoor units.
Coolant filter. Installed in front of the compressor in order to protect the latter from dirt, which during installation can enter the system.

indoor unit

It includes elements:

Front panel through which air enters. It is easily removed so that the user can get to the filters.
The coarse filter is an ordinary plastic mesh that traps coarse dust (for example, animal hair, fluff, etc.). This mesh should be cleaned once a month.
Filter system consisting of carbon, antibacterial, electrostatic filters. Depending on the model of the air conditioner, some filters may not be available at all.

Fan for circulation clean air indoors - cold or heated.
Evaporator. It is a radiator where ice coolant enters. This radiator is heavily cooled by freon, and the fan drives air through it, which instantly becomes cold.
Blinds for adjusting the direction of air flow.
The indicator panel shows in which mode the air conditioner is operating.
Control fee. It contains the central processing unit and the electronics unit.
Fitting connections - pipes connecting the indoor and outdoor units are connected to them.

The air conditioner circuit is simple and logical, but some users do not understand why two units are needed? After all, you can take warm air from the room and drive it through the air conditioner, cooling it. But not everything is so simple: you cannot produce cold without producing heat. The heat needs to be vented out. For this purpose, a two-block system is ideal. There are also other systems, such as single-block. There, the heat is removed to the outside through a special air duct, brought outside the apartment.

Detailed scheme of the air conditioner

Now that you know the basic elements, you can consider in more detail the scheme of operation of this system. So, when the cooling mode is activated from the control panel, the compressor turns on in the system. It pressurizes and drives the gas through the radiator. Having passed the radiator (in the outdoor unit), the gas becomes liquid and hot (if you remember, it releases heat during condensation).

Now the hot liquid freon (which was gas before the radiator) enters where the freon pressure drops. As a result of this, freon evaporates, and a gas-liquid cold mixture enters the evaporator (freon becomes cold during evaporation). The evaporator is cooled and the fan blows the cold out of it into the room. Then the gaseous freon enters the condenser again, and at this stage the circle closes.

This circuit diagram air conditioner is valid for all types. Regardless of the model, power and functionality of the system, all air conditioners are built exactly on this principle, including automotive, industrial and household ones.

Connecting an air conditioner

The installation scheme of the air conditioner is simple, but the installation itself is quite complicated. Only specialists who have the appropriate equipment can produce it. The whole difficulty lies in the installation of the outdoor unit and the pumping of freon inside. It is also required to make a huge hole in the wall, and if the house is panel, then the complexity of the work increases.

As for the connection to the mains, it is enough just to connect the indoor unit of the device to the outlet, nothing more. But the power conditioner connection diagram is a document that shows the location various components and information for service centers. He is more interested in engineers who are engaged in the repair and connection of equipment. In the context of this article, it is impossible to give a single connection diagram for an air conditioner, since it may be different for different models.

Connecting blocks

After the external and internal units of the air conditioner have been installed, they must be connected to each other. This is done using a four-core copper cable. The cores must have a cross section of at least 2.5 mm 2. The air conditioner connection diagram that comes with the device itself is to some extent an instruction. Typically, the connecting cable is laid along with the freon line, although it can also be laid in a separate plastic box.

Leased line connection

After connecting the two units to each other, you need to connect the indoor unit to the network. You can use the nearest outlet, however, given the rather high power of the installation, experts recommend allocating a separate power line for it, which will go directly to the meter. This will remove a large load from the common line of the electrical system of the apartment. Cable laying to the shield can be made through a special groove or in a plastic box. Don't leave the wire open.

The shield into which the power line of the air conditioner (and the general line of the electrical system of the apartment) will enter must be grounded. In this case, the power supply of the cable must be connected through an automatic machine of a certain power. It is calculated using a special formula: the power of the air conditioner divided by the voltage (220 or 230 V). To the value obtained, you need to add 30% for the power reserve.

Connection to the general power supply system of the apartment

Connecting the device to a conventional outlet that belongs to a common power line is only possible if your air conditioner is not powerful and will not create a large load on the network. When the power consumption of the air conditioner is 1 kW or less, it can be connected to a conventional outlet. Typically, models designed for cooling 20 have such power. square meters.

Air conditioners and split systems of various models have already firmly entered life modern man- today this Appliances is not considered a luxury, as it was in the recent past. These products are specially designed to create a favorable microclimate inside buildings in hot summers, but many models can also heat rooms in the off-season. In principle, the device of the air conditioner is similar to the layout of individual blocks of split systems, the only difference is that the first, as a rule, have one case, and the second - two blocks. The principle of operation of a split system is similar to the operation of a standard household window or floor air conditioner.

It is quite simple to understand how the air conditioner works, you just need to study the components of the air conditioner separately: the indoor and outdoor units.

Remote block

The design of the outdoor unit is very complex, because it controls the operation of the entire system, based on the specified modes, which are manually typed by the user. Its components are shown in the photo:

Fan- his duties to create airflow of internal parts.
Radiator, in which the refrigerant is cooled, is called a condenser, it gives off heat to the flow of outside air.
Compressor The air conditioner compresses the refrigerant and circulates it between the units. A description of the principle of operation of the compressor is easy to find on the Internet, so we will not overload the article with unnecessary technical details.
Pay automatic control has such an arrangement on inverter class models, for the rest - all electronics are located inside indoor unit conditioner.
complex design valve is installed only on models of the "cold-heat" class, when the heating mode is turned on, the principle of operation of the blocks changes in a mirror way.
Lid protecting fittings.
Filter- protects the device from the ingress of foreign particles that could enter the system during the installation of the product.
Outer case.

Evaporator body

Its design is not particularly complex.

The microprocessor and the electronics board, as well as the fittings to which copper tubes with circulating freon are connected, are not indicated in the photo - they are located at the back.

The main design of the air conditioner practically does not change - different models have specific improvements, but the remote and indoor units are always present.

Now you are aware of what the air conditioner consists of, so you can proceed to a brief introduction to the principle of the specific operation of the air conditioner.

Functional nuances

When heated, liquid substances evaporate, actively absorbing heat from the surface on which they are located, and when condensation occurs, the reverse process occurs - this is the basis of the principle of operation of any air conditioning system. These products cannot produce cold, but only transfer heat from the cooled object to the street or vice versa, which happens when the heating mode is turned on. Heat is energy, and it cannot disappear without a trace or appear from nowhere; its main carrier in air conditioners is the refrigerant.

During cooling freon evaporates, its condensation occurs in the remote unit, after the refrigerant compressed to a certain consistency leaves the compressor. If the operation of the air conditioner or split system is set to heat the room, then everything happens the other way around.

The product is powered from the electrical network, and users should know that it is quite profitable to use such devices for space heating: consuming 1 kW of electricity, they transfer 3 kW of thermal energy to the building and do not dry out the air.

The technical characteristics of household air conditioners are made up of rated power of the product used for cooling or heating interior spaces. Products of this design are used in the off-season, but only at temperatures above zero - they cannot be turned on in frost. Moreover, the heating takes place according to a special scheme: the floor is heated, creating a comfortable atmosphere for the feet.

Further, there is power consumption, air consumption, the level of noise produced, which is allowed in residential premises no more than 34 dB. It is necessary to take into account the noise at the minimum and maximum power of the product.

The main characteristics of air conditioners take into account and refrigerant used in the product- all devices use different types freon from R-12 to R-410A, which consists of equal shares (50 to 50) of R32 and R125.

Main functions

For comfortable use, the domestic air conditioner has a certain set of functionalities:

cooling, for some modifications there is also air heating;
ventilation - of all the units of the unit, only the fan is activated;
offline mode - the system itself manages all the main functions;
dehumidification - removal of excess moisture from the air;
cleaning - is performed before it enters the heat exchanger;
temperature setting - a very useful function that allows you to accurately set it during cooling and heating;
fan speed - has several modes that allow you to change the performance of the product;
direction - the blinds regulate the direction of air movement, the horizontal ones change the height, and the vertical ones change the side;
timer - allows you to assign exact time to turn the air conditioner on or off;
"night" mode - the built-in automatic control system independently regulates the speed of the fan, a smooth decrease / increase in air temperature by 2-3 degrees.

Each model of household air conditioners also has different additional functions which are specified in the instructions for use of the product.

All sorts of additional fine filters, ionizers and ultraviolet lamps significantly improve the quality of the injected air, but the cost of the product also steadily rises.

What is the difference between air conditioner and split system

Many buyers ask, what is the difference between window, floor and split type cooling products? The second option is considered more functional and efficient. Any split system has the following advantages:

the evaporator can be placed on the ceiling, wall or on the floor, while it is ideal for any room interior;
cooling is faster due to the greater power;
cleans, moisturizes and ionizes the injected air;
during operation produces a fairly low noise impact on others.

For an apartment with large area or suburban buildings acquire multi-systems with several internal evaporators and one remote unit, which makes it easier for users to operate the entire process. Besides appearance the cottage does not spoil the abundance of remote blocks of the same design, but with different noise exposure.

The device and the principle of operation of the air conditioner are no different from the device of any split system, the difference is only in specific nuances, therefore it is very difficult to give an exact answer which equipment copes with the tasks better - each of them has its own disadvantages and advantages that determine the scope of their application .

Structure window type air conditioners differs in a peculiar design - one part of them is inside, and the other outside the window block. With a monoblock floor version, they are similar only in design, since all components are located inside one case. Working parts - a fan and a compressor - make more noise than a split system, because they have these components in a separate unit located outside the room.

Before making a choice when buying such a product for your home, you need to make a comparison specifications the most inexpensive split systems with similar parameters of a floor or window type of device - there are many positive and negative nuances for each type, so it is very difficult to make a final conclusion.

Consider the air conditioner device using the example of a wall-mounted split system. Split systems with other types of indoor units consist of the same nodes, and differ only in appearance.

Compressor- compresses freon and keeps it moving along the refrigeration circuit. The compressor can be piston or scroll (scroll) type. Reciprocating compressors are cheaper but less reliable than scroll compressors, especially in low outdoor temperatures.
four way valve- is established in reversible (heat - cold) conditioners. In heating mode, this valve changes the direction of freon movement. At the same time, internal and outdoor unit as if they change places: the indoor unit works for heating, and the outdoor unit works for cooling.
Control board- as a rule, it is installed only on inverter air conditioners. In non-inverter models, they try to place all electronics in the indoor unit, since large temperature and humidity changes reduce the reliability of electronic components.
Fan- creates a stream of air blowing around the condenser. AT inexpensive models has only one rotation speed. Such an air conditioner can work stably in a small range of outdoor temperatures. In models of higher class, designed for a wide temperature range, as well as in all commercial air conditioners, the fan has 2 - 3 fixed speeds of rotation or continuously adjustable.
Capacitor- a radiator in which freon is cooled and condensed. The air blown through the condenser is heated accordingly.
Freon system filter- installed in front of the compressor inlet and protects it from copper chips and other small particles that can enter the system during installation of the air conditioner. Of course, if the installation was carried out in violation of the technology and the system got a large number of garbage, the filter will not help.
Union connections- copper pipes connecting the outdoor and indoor units are connected to them.
Protective quick-release cover- closes the fittings and the terminal block used to connect electrical cables. In some models, the protective cover covers only the terminal block, and the fittings remain outside.

Front Panel- is a plastic grate through which air enters the unit. The panel can be easily removed for maintenance of the air conditioner (cleaning filters, etc.)
Coarse filter- is a plastic mesh and is designed to trap coarse dust, animal hair, etc. For normal operation of the air conditioner, the filter must be cleaned at least twice a month.
Evaporator- a radiator in which cold freon is heated and evaporated. The air blown through the radiator is cooled accordingly.
Horizontal blinds- adjust the direction of the air flow vertically. These blinds are electrically operated and their position can be adjusted from the remote control. remote control. In addition, the blinds can automatically oscillate to uniform distribution air flow in the room.
Display panel- indicators (light-emitting diodes) are installed on the front panel of the air conditioner, showing the mode of operation of the air conditioner and signaling possible malfunctions.
Fine filter- it happens various types: charcoal (removes unpleasant odors), electrostatic (retains fine dust), etc. The presence or absence of fine filters has no effect on the operation of the air conditioner.
Fan- has 3 - 4 speeds of rotation.
Vertical blinds- serve to adjust the direction of the air flow horizontally. In domestic air conditioners, the position of these shutters can only be adjusted manually. The ability to control from the remote control is only in some models of premium air conditioners.
Condensate tray(not shown in the figure) - located under the evaporator and serves to collect condensate (water that forms on the surface of a cold evaporator). Water is drained from the sump through a drain hose.
Control board(not shown in the figure) - usually located on the right side of the indoor unit. This board contains an electronics unit with a central microprocessor.
Union connections(not shown in the figure) - located at the bottom rear of the indoor unit. Copper pipes connecting the outdoor and indoor units are connected to them.

How it all works is described in the section

Air conditioners have long been a part of our lives, but the principles of operation and devices are not always clear, and the variety of models is very large - floor, mobile, window, inverter. To deal with this issue, your attention is invited to an overview of similar devices for various purposes with a clear explanation of how exactly they work.

The device and principle of operation of a conventional air conditioner

The air conditioner operates in a closed cycle based on two functions:

the transition of a substance from a gaseous state to a liquid state with increasing pressure (and vice versa);
heat release during condensation (transition from gas to liquid) and cooling during evaporation.

In other words, a compressor is used to transfer heat. It changes the pressure of the refrigerant substance. Freon usually acts in this capacity in various compounds, for example, “R410”. How to fill the air conditioner with freon -.

Here is a diagram of such a system:

The step by step phase of the cycle looks like this:

The compressor (a small pump with an electric motor) pressurizes the gas by pumping it from the evaporator (in the room) to the condenser (outdoor). Because of high blood pressure gas its temperature can rise to 90 degrees Celsius.

When starting the compressor, the first seconds it runs without lubrication, since the oil flows into the crankcase when the engine is not running. Therefore, each next start of the engine increases its overall wear. It is better for the engine if it runs continuously, but this leads to high energy costs.

In the condenser, freon begins to give off heat to the environment, because the gas at this moment is hotter than air. The outdoor fan turns on and provides intensive airflow to the heat exchanger, which greatly speeds up the process.
As a result of cooling, the gas turns into a liquid, but the pressure is still high. The temperature of the liquid is the same still slightly higher than the temperature environment.
Next, the freon passes into the capillary - a thin copper tube wound with a long spiral. Another name for this part is a throttle. So the pressure of liquid freon drops to several atmospheres. Part of the liquid immediately turns into a gaseous state.
Freon is in the evaporator. Now the heat exchanger from a liquid state passes into a gaseous state, while the freon is cooled together with the heat exchanger grate in the room. The room fan drives the air flow through the cooled grate, quickly taking the cold into the room.
Then the cycle repeats again - from 1 to 5 phases.

How the air conditioner works in cooling mode is shown in the diagram:

Since the evaporator is very cold, and the humidity in the room can be high, water drops appear on the evaporator - condensate. In fact, it is distilled water. Droplets accumulate and begin to flow down - over the evaporator and below. Of course, water is not needed indoors, so usually a pipe brought outside is used to drain condensate.

The outgoing air flow can be directed with the help of special louvers in the desired direction, both horizontally and vertically. Usually such control can be carried out from the remote control. Many models can regularly rotate the blinds automatically to the sides or up and down, dispersing cool air over a larger volume.

Air conditioner dehumidifier - principle of operation

This is one of the elements of the system. Its function is to collect liquid freon flowing from the condenser and prevent contamination of the refrigerant. It is located on the freon route, after the condenser and before the throttle:

Externally, the dehumidifier looks like a small tube, expanding towards the middle and tapering towards the ends. Inside the tube is a zeolite mineral that absorbs moisture. There are two grids on the way of freon movement:

One on the inlet side with large holes to prevent zeolite pellets from entering the condenser.
Second mesh on the exhaust side. The holes in it are relatively small, like in a tea strainer, so as not to let zeolite particles, metal fragments, and so on into the compressor.

The dryer usually has one more extra hole. It is used when assembling and repairing the unit in order to quickly create a vacuum in the system. Otherwise, a throttle having a small diameter would slow down the process of evacuating the air conditioner. You can not open this technological hole, otherwise the device will stop working.

inverter air conditioner

The main purpose of the inverter air conditioner is to save energy and extend the working condition of the compressor. In such systems, work does not take place in jerks “on-off”, but with smooth power control. The air conditioner runs continuously, however, not at full capacity. This allows the compressor motor to increase its resource. In addition, maintaining a stable temperature in the room requires much less energy than with the “jerky rhythm” of a conventional air conditioner.

Compressor speed control is achieved by converting (inverting) the incoming alternating current into a constant, and then again into a variable, but with a different frequency. The electronics decide how to change the engine speed - reduce or increase, and speed changes occur smoothly.

But it is important to understand that an inverter air conditioner is more economical only in those places where a conventional air conditioner is turned on only from time to time. With continuous operation, a conventional air conditioner is much more efficient at the same energy consumption, because it does not spend electricity on conversion. Therefore, if your inverter air conditioner is running at full capacity almost continuously, its power has been selected incorrectly.

An engineer from the Climate Control company will tell you about what an inverter air conditioner is and whether it is worth overpaying for it:

Split system

Split means "split". In split systems, the condenser and evaporator are not in a single housing, but can be separated, for example, by a wall. However, they are connected by pipes to exchange refrigerant between them. Usually the outer part of the split system is mounted outside on the wall of the building. It contains the following elements:

compressor;
capacitor;
throttle;
external fan, etc.

The outer part can make quite a loud noise during operation (up to 45 decibels), which may annoy your neighbors.

The internal part is mounted inside the building, it contains:

evaporator;
air purification filter;
thermostat;
control electronics.

Usually the interior is very quiet.

When installing a split system, special equipment is required to connect the outer and inner parts with copper pipes. First of all, this is a vacuum pump, without which it will not be possible to assemble a workable system. Manufacturers do not provide a guarantee for units installed by non-certified installers.

Modern split systems are equipped with a compressor start control system. This system prevents the engine from starting too soon after it was last turned off so that it does not overheat.

There are multi-split systems in which not one, but two or more indoor units. But such systems are somewhat more expensive than conventional ones, since they require both a more complex system for connecting to an outdoor unit, and a more complex control system for each indoor unit (with a separate thermostat, remote control unit, and so on).

Most split systems are able to work not only for cooling, but also for heating.

Floor air conditioner

Floor air conditioners are used when it is undesirable or impossible to use a conventional wall model, for example, the room is too small, and the flow of cold air from the wall will immediately fall on people.

They are of two types: stationary and mobile. Both those and others are not too different from their wall counterparts. Stationary floor air conditioning, as a rule, is made according to the "split" scheme. It also needs to exchange heat with outside world, like the usual one, therefore it is simply fixed at a height of about half a meter from the floor level, and all other elements are the same. A floor air conditioner in a mobile version is most often just a mobile air conditioner.

Mobile air conditioner: features of work

The device of a mobile air conditioner is almost no different from a stationary one. The main difference is that the entire air conditioner is entirely indoors. In addition, a thick duct is usually required to pump the outdoor atmosphere through the condenser. This air duct must be hermetically led out of a window or a special hole in the walls.

The power of mobile air conditioners is usually small, as they are designed to cool small rooms. The noisiest part of the air conditioner (condenser + fan + inductor) is placed in the dwelling, therefore, with a high air conditioner power, it will be uncomfortable to be in the room.

Majority technical solutions include not only an air cooler, but also a heater. The temperature increase occurs due to direct heating of the air by heating elements. Moreover, their power can be quite large, so check the power grid for suitability for such loads. Models with the ability to work "for heat", as in split systems (with a rearrangement of the air hose and without heating elements), can also be found.

Often, mobile air conditioners are equipped with a powerful fan, which allows not only to cool / heat the air in the room, but also to disperse it throughout the building.

The distilled water formed during the operation of the unit is most often collected in a special container. In order not to run with it every hour, pouring out the accumulated water, it is better to choose a model with a larger capacity. Also, some models, when filling the water tank, simply stop working, giving signals and requiring to drain the liquid.

Mobile air conditioners are useful where there is no reason to install a stationary one. For example, when renting a house, summer cottage or during a long business trip. Often, mobile air coolers are purchased for the kitchen, so that in the summer it is not so hot and stuffy during the operation of all kitchen appliances.

You can learn about mobile air conditioners, their pros and cons from the following video, where the mobile air conditioner ТМ Carrier of the 51AKP series is considered as an example:

How does a mobile air conditioner work without an air duct?

A mobile air conditioner without an air duct is actually not an air conditioner, but an air humidifier, and with the need to constantly replenish water supplies. Such an apparatus does not remove heat anywhere, but simply drives the air out of the room through the damp spongy material. Some short-term feeling of coolness is possible in the first minutes of operation due to the increase in air humidity.

Compared to a conventional air conditioner, it has the following disadvantages:

The power of such a device cannot be large - due to the limitation of dimensions and noise, as well as the scope of application in small spaces.
The humidity in the room becomes very high. Accordingly, mold and so on may appear.
It is necessary to add water to this device all the time, otherwise it may turn off altogether.

Window air conditioners are popular for the same reason as mobile ones. Usually they do not work all year round, but only in hot weather. This is very good decision for the kitchen, when in the summer you want a little coolness, but there is no money to buy an expensive device for cooling a small room.

A similar setup looks like this:

As a rule, they are made according to the "monoblock" scheme and occupy an opening for the window. When choosing a window air conditioner, first check if it is suitable for your specific window(windows). It's not just about size, it's about overall strength. window frame, because the weight of the unit can be considerable, and not every dilapidated window can withstand it.

Keep in mind that there will most likely not be a tight hermetic fit for the case of a window air conditioner, so the issue of isolation from outdoor air will have to be addressed. Some tenants every summer put the air conditioner in the window opening and fill the cracks. construction foam, and every autumn they remove the unit to caulk the windows for the winter. However, it also happens that the air conditioner is installed, sealed and then takes its place in the window all year round, just “resting” in winter.

Cheap models may not have a remote control - everything is controlled from the front panel. AT this case This the right approach– the simpler the better. Less chance of damage to complex electronics.

You can clearly see how such an air conditioner works and what happens during its operation in the video:

How does the air conditioner work for heating?

Existing air conditioners capable of heating in winter are usually equipped with a four-way valve. This valve, by switching, causes the refrigerant to heat up from atmospheric air, and in the room, on the contrary, give off heat. This is a very economical way of heating a building, as most of energy is spent not on the actual increase in air temperature, but on the transfer of heat from the street to the house.

However, it should be noted that the colder it is outside the window and the warmer it should be in your room, the less air conditioning is suitable for this. At a frost of -15 and below, a household air conditioner usually can no longer ensure the transfer of heat from the street to the house, since:

The air conditioner was originally designed for cooling, therefore, in the mode of warming up the home, its efficiency drops along with the ambient temperature.
Modern environmentally friendly refrigerant is also not designed for frost.
It is difficult for the compressor to work in cold weather - the lubricant becomes too dense.

Many split systems have automatic switching between “cold” and “heat” modes, regularly switching to the room cooling mode (with the general “heat” mode), but without the fan inside the building. This is done to warm up the radiator in the external unit of the system so that it does not become covered with ice from condensate and does not lose its ability to efficiently heat exchange.

In split systems, an unpleasant possibility of freezing also manifests itself. drain hose. Water, turning into ice, forms a plug inside the hose. Further flow of water from the air conditioner will no longer take place outside, but into the room.

After getting acquainted with the whole variety of species of this climate technology, it will be much easier for you to choose the air conditioner for your needs. Of course, in this case, it is worth proceeding from the type of room that needs to be cooled, as well as from financial possibilities.

In contact with

February 2019

So how does a split system work?

At home, at work - many already have air conditioners. But about 50% are still sure that the external unit of the air conditioner supplies air from the street through the internal one!

And there are many more misconceptions about the use of this household appliance.

The principle of operation of the air conditioner

The operation of any air conditioning system, whether it is a home split system or an industrial air conditioner, is based on simple laws physicists who say that when a substance evaporates, energy is absorbed and vice versa: when condensation occurs, heat is released.

Any modern air conditioner- this is a pump for pumping heat from one place to another by alternating the process of expansion and contraction of the working fluid (freon gas).

If we transfer what has been said to the household level, then the freon evaporating in the indoor unit of the split system takes the excess heat in the room (if the air conditioning system is operating in cooling mode) and transfers this heat outside to the outdoor unit. It is logical to imagine that if you reverse the process, then the air conditioner will ... heat the room. Most split systems are equipped three-way valves allowing the system to operate in space heating mode. In this case, freon evaporates in the external circuit of the split system and, absorbing heat from the street, transfers it to the room.

To speed up the process of temperature change in the external and internal blocks of modern split systems, the a complex system copper tubes of heat exchangers, allowing a short time remove or absorb heat. In one outdoor unit of a modern split system, the length of copper capillary tubes can reach hundreds of meters! Copper, despite its high cost, is used due to its distinctive heat transfer coefficient. The world's leading manufacturers of air conditioners continue to use copper with minimal additions of other metals for the production of heat exchangers: this leads to an increase in the cost of equipment, but increases its efficiency and durability.

Scheme No. 1 shows the main units of the air conditioner:

Scheme No. 1 "The main units of a modern split system"

1. Fan of the outdoor unit of the split system.

The split system fan is designed to increase the rate of heat exchange in the external unit of the air conditioner due to air injection and blowing of the heat exchanger. If there were no fan in the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, then the process of heat transfer would be insanely long, and the unit itself would need to be significantly increased in size. When designing modern split-system fans, advanced aerodynamics are used, which reduces rotational resistance and, accordingly, reduces energy consumption, and also leads to a decrease in the noise level of the external unit of the air conditioner due to the absence of turbulent air flows. So the outdoor unit fan is no ordinary propeller, but the result of a long process of design and implementation of innovations in the field of aerodynamic flow.

2. Air conditioning compressor.

One of the main and most loaded parts of the split system is the compressor. Directly involved in the process of heat transfer: sets freon in motion and performs the main work on changing physical properties coolant. Figure 2 shows the operating cycle of the air conditioner:

Scheme No. 1 "Working cycle of the air conditioner"

As can be seen from the presented diagram of the operation of the air conditioner, the evaporated (and, recall, absorbed heat in the room) freon enters the compressor of the outdoor unit through the freon pipeline. Gaseous freon has a low pressure and a fairly high temperature, but to increase the efficiency, the compressor compresses the gas, while the temperature increases even more against the background of pressure growth, which increases the temperature difference between the air outside the heat exchanger of the outdoor unit and the working fluid, i.e. freon itself.

In the lattice of the external unit of the split system, freon, which has overpressure and the temperature quickly gives off heat and goes into a liquid state. Its temperature drops and it is ready to go back to the indoor unit of your split system to remove heat.

Compressor happens different designs: piston, rotary, screw, spiral. The classic piston compressor, due to the instability of the generated pressure (cyclic operation leads to pressure drops in the working gas) and the noise of operation, gradually disappears into oblivion.

The undisputed leaders in the production of reliable and durable compressors are manufacturers of original Japanese brands such as Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Toshiba.

Some well-known Korean manufacturers of air conditioners, such as Panasonic, do not produce compressors on their own, but purchase units from Japanese manufacturers and give a 5-year warranty on their work without fear. New modern compressors, which have an increased resource, and also allow the split system to operate at significant temperature differences.

The compressor often runs at high speeds and under the influence of negative external factors. Manufacturers add to the composition of freon special oil and additives for the lubrication of particularly loaded parts. That is why it is often impossible to install a split system of a new type (on R410 freon) on the old freon route (through which R22 type freon passed).

3. Heat exchanger of the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.

As is already clear from the name (and the description of the previous units), it provides heat removal from gaseous high-pressure freon so that freon can go into a liquid state.

The task of engineers is to ensure the removal of heat received from the whole room / room of several square meters in the limited space of the external unit of the split system. This is achieved due to the sinuous shape of the heat exchanger tubes, additional inserts of plates that take on heat.

The degree of contamination of the heat exchanger greatly affects heat transfer. If it becomes clogged (due to operation in dusty conditions, sticking of fluff and pollen), then the heat transfer efficiency will drop sharply, which can lead to the failure of the entire system.

Heat exchanger requires special care and regular cleaning. More details can be found in the "Air Conditioning Service" section.

4. Freon pipeline.

Part of the split system, which actually made it possible to separate the function of cooling (indoors) and heat removal (outdoors) in the air conditioner. It consists, as a rule, of two copper pipes: one of a smaller diameter is liquid, through which freon in a liquid state enters the indoor unit; the second is of a larger diameter, to remove the freon that has evaporated and turned into gas from the indoor unit of the air conditioner to the outdoor heat exchanger.

When laying the route, they also lay:

copper pipes of the freon circuit of the air conditioner. This is the main way for freon to move: copper pipes freon is supplied to the compressor and to the heat exchangers of the external and internal block of the split system. The duration and trouble-free operation of the air conditioner greatly depends on the quality of the pipe used during installation.
drainage tube. To drain condensate - water - formed in the indoor unit of the air conditioner
interconnect cable. It controls and coordinates the operation of the two parts of the split system
power cable. The indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner are connected to the power supply. Not both, but just one of them. The second one (which one depends on the type of air conditioner) is powered by another part of the split system

5. Heat exchanger of the indoor unit of the split system.

Designed to ensure efficient evaporation of freon. When freon evaporates, cooling occurs copper pipe heat exchanger. The more powerful the air conditioner, the larger the heat exchanger itself has to be made in terms of dimensions. That is why, with the growth of the cooling capacity of the split system, the dimensions of the internal unit of the air conditioner also increase.

On the heat exchanger, moisture condenses similarly to dew: due to a decrease in the temperature of the air flowing through it. That is why modern split systems remove condensed moisture (otherwise it would flow out of the indoor unit of the air conditioner). Also, hundreds of cubic meters of air pass through the heat exchanger in one hour. This air is not always perfectly clean. The result is the formation of a "beard" of dust and dirt. The presence of moisture also contributes to the reproduction of pathogens. In this regard, manufacturers (Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Fujitsu General) are implementing technological innovations that provide:

dehumidification of the heat exchanger. After the split system is turned off, the grate is temporarily blown for dehumidification
treatment of the heat exchanger with a special coating that prevents the formation of microorganisms

6. Impeller of the indoor unit of the air conditioner.

The function is similar to the outdoor unit fan. Special requirements apply to aerodynamics and airflow equalization of the indoor unit to achieve two goals: