PriceProtect™
DriveShield™
GarageGuard™
Services
Insurance
Car Insurance
Compare Car Insurance with Jerry
Jerry’s Expert Advice
Car Insurance Estimates
Home & Renters Insurance
Renters Insurance
Loans
Car Loan
Compare Car Loans with Jerry
Jerry's Expert Advice
Car Loan Guides
Repairs
Car Repair Estimates
Repair Estimates for Popular Services
Advice
Read Car Content
Browse Jerry Car Advice
Check Out Expert Car QnA
Learn About How We Create Content
Jerry Data & Research
How does a car’s air conditioning system work?
I just had my car’s air conditioning serviced, and the mechanic explained what he had to fix or replace, but it was confusing and a bit too complex for me to understand. However, I am curious, how does a car’s air conditioning system work?
Jack Walsh · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Most people now take air conditioning for granted in their car and don’t pay it any mind. However, it’s an interesting process that works by manipulating a refrigerant between a liquid and gaseous state.
Below are the major components and the process that results in a cooled car:
- The compressor is the unit’s power system and separates the low-pressure side from the high-pressure side. It is mounted towards the front of the engine, takes in low-pressure gas, and compresses it into a high-pressure and high-temperature gas.
- The condenser is mounted behind the grill and uses forced air to reduce the gaseous refrigerant’s temperature and turn it into a liquid while maintaining high pressure.
- The dryer or receiver is mounted on the high-pressure side of the system and removes water from the refrigerant.
- The metering device is an expansion valve or fixed orifice tube located on the high-pressure side of the system that lowers the refrigerant pressure and temperature. The refrigerant leaves in liquid form.
- The evaporator is mounted inside the passenger compartment and causes a cooling effect by changing the refrigerant back into a gaseous state.
- The cabin air is cooled and dried as it blows across the evaporator.
Understanding how a car’s air conditioning system works is pretty cool (pun intended), but what’s even cooler is saving money. If you want to save money on
car insurance
, the Jerry
app is a good place to start. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. Jerry will even help you cancel your old policy.View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance
You Might Also Be Interested
Read Advice From Car Experts At Jerry
What Others Are Asking
Browse More Content
Insurance for Your Car
Insurance in Your State
Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance
No long forms
No spam or unwanted phone calls
Quotes from top insurance companies
