by 
The Curious Bag
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A car air conditioning system works on the exact same principle as a refrigerator. And as with a refrigerator, the compressor is a central element of a car AC system.
The Basics
The air conditioner doesn't work by bringing cold air into a car's cabin; it works by extracting heat from the cabin and releasing it outside the car. This is done with refrigerants.
Refrigerants
Refrigerants are substances that easily transition from liquid to gas and back again. As they make this phase change, they either give off heat (during compression) or absorb it (during expansion).
The Compressor
When refrigerant enters the compressor, it does so as a relatively cool, low-pressure gas. The compressor essentially "squeezes" the gas, increasing its pressure and temperature.
The Next Steps
From the compressor, the refrigerant moves to the condenser, where it is cooled to a high-pressure liquid, and then to the evaporator, where low pressure turns it back into a gas. As it expands, it extracts heat from the surrounding air. A blower then sends the chilled air through the car's vents.
Back to the Compressor
From the evaporator, the refrigerant cycles back to the compressor, and the process starts all over.
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