Second Stages Equipment Technology lecture 2

AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONING

Introduction
The automotive air conditioner uses a refrigerant system driven by the vehicles
engine to supply cooling. While hot engine coolant usually provides heat to the
passenger component when needed. Inside the car (interior of the car) needed
heating, cooling and dehumidification. Heat is usually provided by circulating
hot coolant from the vehicle engine. Its circulated through a heater core (small
radiator-like device under the dashboard). The engine water pump forces hot
coolant through heater hoses in the heater core. When cooling is needed, the
vehicles engine drives the compressor to pump refrigerant through the system.
An evaporator inside a plenum chamber cools the air circulated through the
passenger compartment. The plenum chamber is an enclosure under the
dashboard. Figure 1 and 2 shows the main components of cooling system (car
system).

Figure 1 main components of car air-conditioning system

Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the automotive cooling system

Purpose of Automotive Air Conditioning

An automotive passenger cabinet is relatively small. But a vehicle traveling at
high speed on a hot day required significant refrigerating capacity in order to

Page 1 of 6
Second Stages Equipment Technology lecture 2

keep the interior at a comfortable temperature. Otherwise, the same car,

traveling on a cold winter day, will require considerable heating capacity.
Operating the air conditioning system also reduce the humidity of the air inside
the vehicle. In addition, moisture formed on evaporator surfaces collects dust
and pollen in the air.

Automotive Air Conditioner Operation

A typical automotive air conditioning system for automobile is shown in

Figure 3 typical automotive air conditioning system

The belt-driven compressor is mounted on the engine, ahead of the vehicle

radiator. This allows cool air to flow over the condenser. The evaporator is
mounted inside the plenum chamber in the passenger compartment. All of these
devices are connected together by lines and hoses. Liquid refrigerant flows from
the condenser to the liquid receiver. The refrigerant is dried and filtered. Then it
flows through a control device and into the evaporator. In the evaporator, the
refrigerant is vaporized and absorbed heat. The vaporized refrigerant finally
flows back through the suction line to the compressor. Low-pressure refrigerant
vapor enters the compressor through the low side. The vapor is drawn into the
cylinder and is compressed by the piston. It is then discharged through the high
side back to the condenser. The heat of the compression and the latent heat of
vaporization that is absorbed by the refrigerant are given up to the air flowing
over the condenser fins. Meanwhile, a blower (fan) forces air through the
evaporator. The resulting cool air is circulated to the vehicles interior through
air distribution ducts and grills.

Cooling Capacity:
The automotive air condition system ranges size from 1 to 4 tons. The capacity
of the air conditioning system should match vehicle size. Under capacity will
result in inadequate cooling in the hot weather. Oversize capacity is uneconomic
and causing frequent cycling of the system. Systems are usually designed to
keep inside temperature (8 C to 11 C) below outside temperature with the
vehicle traveling about 50 km/hr.
Page 2 of 6
Second Stages Equipment Technology lecture 2

Operating Conditions:
The automobile air conditioner must provide comfort in vehicle in all weather.
This control must be adequate during cold, mild, damp, and hot weather. It must
provide heating, defogging, and de-icing and must remove dust, smoke, and
odor. The compressor is belt-driven by the engine. The compressor speed will
vary with engine speed. The system must have enough capacity to provide
sufficient cooling. It must function at idling speed, in the sun, and in the wind.
There must be considerable excess capacity for normal driving speeds. A typical
automotive air conditioning system will cool an automobile from 43 C to 29 C
in about 10 min. The car interior may reach 66 C when parked in the sun with
the windows closed. The greatest heat load or heat gain is the sun load and heat
conducted through the window.
Compressors
The operation of the automotive air conditioning compressor is to compress
low-pressure, low temperature refrigerant vapor into a high-pressure, high-
temperature vapor. There are four basic types of compressors in general use in
automotive air conditioning
Two-cylinder reciprocating compressors
Swash-plate compressors
Scotch yoke compressors
Scroll compressors
Two-cylinder reciprocating compressor
This type of compressors contains usually two pistons. They are in a parallel V-
type configuration. The construction of the compressor is die cast aluminum as
shown in figure 4. The pistons are attached to a connecting rod that is driven by
the crankshaft. The crankshaft is connected to the compressor clutch assembly
driven by an engine belt. The two-cylinder compressor was widely used in past
automotive applications. However, it has given way to more efficient types of
compressor.

Figure 4. A two cylinder-reciprocating compressor

Page 3 of 6
Second Stages Equipment Technology lecture 2

Swash-plate Compressor
In the swash-plate compressor, piston motion is parallel to the crankshaft. The
pistons are connected to an angled swash plate using ball joints.
There are many types of this kind
1- Five-cylinder
2- Six-cylinder
3- Ten-cylinder
4- Five-cylinder variable displacement
5- Seven-cylinder variable displacement
Figures 5 and 6 show the basic component of the swash-plate compressors.

Figure 5 swash-plate compressor

Figure 6-piston arrangement

Each cylinder has a set of reed valves for intake and exhaust. The cylinders
utilize connecting passages to form one common high-side port and low-side
port. The rotary movement in the swash-plate compressor is changed to
reciprocating movements. Therefore, the movement of the piston is
accomplished by the swash plate and shaft. A number of sides of pistons are in
the compression stroke; the other is in a suction stroke.
The variable displacement compressor differs from the other swash-plate
compressors in that it uses a plate connected to a hinge pin. The hinge pin
allows the compressor to vary the swash plate angle. A bellows valve controls

Page 4 of 6
Second Stages Equipment Technology lecture 2

the swash-plate angle that senses suction pressure. This valve is known as the
control valve. During high-load conditions, the swash plate angle is large. The
compressor displacement is maximum. During low-load conditions, the swash
plate angle is smaller and compressor displacement is reduced. Figure 7 shows
the DENSO A/C compressor model (NISSAN Motor Car, Cadillac Motor Car,
General Motors Corp).

Figure 7 DENSO Swash-plate compressor

Scotch Yoke Compressor

A four-cylinder radial compressor of a modified scotch yoke design changes
rotary motion into reciprocating motion. The radial compressor is shorter in
length and larger in diameter than most other compressors. The basic
mechanism of this model contains four pistons.
Scroll Compressor
This model is recently come to use in automotive air conditioning system due to
the scroll quiet operation. The rotating scroll is driven by compressor clutch and
rotates around the fixed scroll. The scroll compressor has a variable
displacement model.
The purpose of the variable displacement compressor is to reduce clutch
cycling. This reduction of clutch eliminates the noise associated with clutch
engagement. The variable displacement scroll compressor utilizes an internal
control valve to reduce capacity during low-side pressure. This reduces the
capacity of the scroll compressor and allows for continuous operation. This
rotational movement of the scroll compressor provides smooth operation of the
air conditioning system.

Periodic Maintenance
Tell the vehicle owner to periodically operate the air conditioning. It should be
operated for a few minutes each month in fall, winter, and spring. This keep

Page 5 of 6
Second Stages Equipment Technology lecture 2

compressor parts (especially the shaft seal) lubricated. The system should check
each year (on spring usually) as follows:
1. Condenser (clean fins and tubes of leaves, lint, and insect)
2. Refrigerant lines (check for signs of chafing or wear)
3. Belts (check for belt deterioration and proper adjustment)
Then each 16000 km you should do the following
Clean all parts externally, including the condenser
Straighten fins on the condenser
Check the refrigerant charge:
1. Sight glass
2. Pressure in the system
Check oil level in the compressor (if applicable)
Check for leak
Make sure belts are in good condition and adjustable correctly.

Page 6 of 6