What is the function of an air compressor in a car?
3 Answers
The functions of an air compressor in a car: 1. Cleaning the surface of parts. Car parts are numerous and complex in shape, making them difficult to clean. The inner and outer surfaces of the parts are prone to dirt or metal shavings. Using compressed air can clean all types of parts thoroughly; 2. Unclogging blocked pipes. The air and oil passages in a car often get partially or completely blocked by foreign objects. By introducing compressed air in the opposite direction of the foreign object's entry, the blockage can be quickly cleared; 3. Checking for leaks. The air pipes, oil passages, and cooling system in a car often have leaks of varying degrees. To locate hidden leaks, the components can be submerged in water or coated with soapy water, and then compressed air can be introduced into the components to easily identify the leaks.
I'm the type of driver who loves studying car components in detail. The air conditioning compressor is the heart of a car's AC system. Its main job is to compress the refrigerant into a high-temperature, high-pressure state before sending it to the condenser for heat dissipation. After the refrigerant cools down and turns into liquid, it passes through the expansion valve and sprays into the evaporator. At this point, the sudden expansion of the refrigerant absorbs massive amounts of heat, turning the hot cabin air into cool breeze when passing through the chilled evaporator. Without this compressor 'heart', the entire refrigeration cycle would collapse. Try turning off your AC compressor in summer – you'll be sweating buckets within five minutes.
Back when I was doing long-haul transportation, I drove heavy-duty trucks, and the air compressors on those were way more powerful than the ones in cars. A car's compressor only handles air conditioning cooling, but a big truck's compressor has to supply high-pressure air for the entire air brake system. Every time you hit the brakes, it's the compressed air that pushes the brake chambers. I remember once when the compressor belt snapped—the brakes immediately went stiff and unresponsive, scaring me into pulling over right away. Now that I drive a car, I feel like the A/C compressor is the most delicate part. A loose belt can make it slip, and low refrigerant can even burn out the clutch.
