What Causes the High-Pressure Pipe of a Car's Air Conditioning to Become Hot to the Touch?

[EdenAnn]

An excessively high temperature in the high-pressure pipe is a typical symptom of an overcharged refrigerant system. It is recommended to check the pressure on the high-pressure side and appropriately reduce the system pressure. The compressor cools the refrigerant through the condenser's cooling tubes, transforming it into a high-pressure, low-temperature liquid. This liquid then passes through the receiver-drier for dehumidification and buffering, flowing toward the expansion valve at a relatively stable pressure and flow rate. After throttling and pressure reduction, it finally flows into the evaporator. Upon encountering the low-pressure environment, the refrigerant evaporates, absorbing a significant amount of thermal energy. Below are specific details about the compressor: Classification: Air conditioning compressors can be divided into fixed-displacement compressors and variable-displacement compressors. Function: The air conditioning compressor compresses and drives the refrigerant within the air conditioning refrigerant circuit. The working circuit is divided into the evaporation zone (low-pressure zone) and the condensation zone (high-pressure zone). The indoor and outdoor units belong to the high-pressure or low-pressure zones, respectively (depending on the operating state), with the compressor typically installed in the outdoor unit. The compressor draws refrigerant from the low-pressure zone, compresses it, and sends it to the high-pressure zone for cooling and condensation. Heat is dissipated into the air through the radiator fins, and the refrigerant changes from a gaseous to a liquid state, increasing in pressure. The refrigerant then flows from the high-pressure zone back to the low-pressure zone, where it is sprayed into the evaporator through the capillary tube. The pressure drops sharply, causing the liquid refrigerant to immediately vaporize, absorbing a large amount of heat from the air through the radiator fins. As the machine continuously operates, it absorbs heat from the low-pressure zone into the refrigerant and releases it into the air at the high-pressure zone, thereby regulating the temperature.