Why is there water on the ground after using the car air conditioner?
2 Answers
The reason for water on the ground after using the car air conditioner: It is the condensate water produced during the operation of the car air conditioner. Below is the relevant introduction about the car air conditioner: 1. Compression process: The compressor inhales the low-temperature and low-pressure refrigerant gas at the outlet of the evaporator and compresses it into high-temperature and high-pressure gas, which is then discharged from the compressor. 2. Heat dissipation process: The high-temperature and high-pressure superheated refrigerant gas enters the condenser. Due to the decrease in pressure and temperature, the refrigerant gas condenses into liquid and releases a large amount of heat. 3. Throttling process: The refrigerant liquid with higher temperature and pressure passes through the expansion device, causing its volume to increase and its pressure and temperature to drop sharply, being discharged from the expansion device in a mist form (tiny liquid droplets). 4. Heat absorption process: The mist-like refrigerant liquid enters the evaporator. Since the boiling point of the refrigerant is much lower than the temperature inside the evaporator, the refrigerant liquid evaporates into gas.
This issue is actually quite common, and I was puzzled by it at first too. The principle of a car's air conditioning when cooling is similar to that of a home air conditioner. When the hot air inside the car passes through the evaporator of the AC system, the water vapor in it condenses into water droplets. These droplets are drained out from under the car through a dedicated drainage pipe, which is why you often see a puddle of water near the right front wheel after parking. This isn't a leak or malfunction; on the contrary, it indicates that your AC's dehumidification function is working properly. If you don't see any water on a hot day with the AC on, that's when you should worry about whether the drainage pipe is clogged. However, if the amount of water is unusually large or the water has color, it's advisable to get it checked, just in case it's a coolant leak, which could be troublesome.
