What is the structural principle of a compressor?
3 Answers
After being cooled and turned into a high-pressure, low-temperature liquid through the condenser's cooling tubes, it then passes through the receiver-drier for dehumidification and buffering, flowing toward the expansion valve with relatively stable pressure and flow rate. After throttling and pressure reduction, it finally flows into the evaporator. The refrigerant evaporates immediately upon encountering a low-pressure environment, absorbing a large amount of thermal energy. The following are specific details about the compressor: 1. Classification: Air conditioning compressors can be divided into fixed displacement compressors and variable displacement compressors. 2. Function: The air conditioning compressor plays the role of compressing and driving the refrigerant in the air conditioning refrigerant circuit. The working circuit is divided into an evaporation zone (low-pressure zone) and a condensation zone (high-pressure zone). The indoor unit and outdoor unit belong to the high-pressure or low-pressure zone respectively (depending on the working state), and the compressor is generally installed in the outdoor unit. The compressor draws the refrigerant from the low-pressure zone, compresses it, and sends it to the high-pressure zone for cooling and condensation, releasing heat into the air through the heat sink. The refrigerant also changes from a gaseous state to a liquid state, with increased pressure. The refrigerant then flows from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone, being sprayed into the evaporator through the capillary tube, where the pressure drops sharply, and the liquid refrigerant immediately turns into a gaseous state, absorbing a large amount of heat from the air through the heat sink. As the machine continuously operates, it continuously absorbs heat from the low-pressure zone into the refrigerant and then releases it into the air in the high-pressure zone, thereby regulating the temperature.
As a car enthusiast, I've been fascinated by compressor structures since middle school. In cars, the compressor is typically the heart of the air conditioning system. Structurally, it resembles a small engine, mainly consisting of several key components: cylinder, piston, drive shaft, and valve body. The drive shaft connects to the engine pulley, and when the clutch engages, the shaft rotates, driving the piston to reciprocate within the cylinder. During suction, the intake valve opens to draw in low-pressure refrigerant gas. During compression, the piston moves upward to compress the gas into a high-pressure, high-temperature state, and then the exhaust valve discharges the compressed gas into the condenser. The principle is essentially using mechanical energy to compress gas volume, increasing pressure and temperature, thereby driving the refrigerant to circulate and dissipate heat. Different car models have varying designs—traditional reciprocating types are noisy but easy to repair, while modern scroll types are quieter and more efficient. When repairing cars, I pay special attention to the lubrication system, as the integrity of oil seals and bearings directly affects compression efficiency. If they wear out, gas leakage can cause the air conditioning to stop working. I recommend regularly checking belt tension and refrigerant pressure to ensure stable operation.
When it comes to the compressor, it hums to life as soon as we turn on the car's AC during daily drives, and its structure isn't as complex as one might think: essentially, it's a housing encasing a cylinder-piston system. The principle is straightforward—the engine drives internal components via a belt to compress refrigerant gas, heating it up before it flows outside the vehicle to dissipate heat, then returns inside to cool. I like to compare it to a balloon pump; once compressed, the pressure rises, and the AC cools down. Common issues often arise in minor structural parts, such as belt cracks causing slippage and inefficiency, or loose connections leading to leaks that result in insufficient cooling. DIY maintenance isn't hard—check the compressor belt for wear every quarter and use calipers to measure if the tension is normal. While driving, stay alert; if the compressor noise grows louder or sounds abnormal, get it inspected promptly to prevent worsening issues that affect driving comfort. Regular maintenance can extend its lifespan and save you from repair hassles.
