MOBILE AIR CONDITIONING

Basic A/C Operation

Need for Air Conditioning

Ventilation, heating, and air conditioning provide for the comfort of the vehicles passengers. The ventilation system on most vehicles is designed to supply outside air to the passenger compartment through upper or lower vents or both.

Heat interactions between vehicle & outer environment

Basic Air Conditioning Cycle

A Typical air conditioning cycle

All systems contain six major components: Compressor to circulate the refrigerant Condenser to transfer heat to ambient air Receiver dryer or accumulator to store reserve refrigerant, contain the desiccant, and filter refrigerant

Expansion device to control amount of refrigerant entering evaporator Evaporator to transfer heat from in-vehicle air to the refrigerant Lines and hoses to connect these parts together And the refrigerant

A Typical automotive air conditioner 36 KW Split Kit & Bus Layout

A Typical car air conditioner

A Typical bus air conditioner

Typical Air flow in a typical automotive HVAC

Fire wall

Blower Heater Evaporator

Thermister

A Typical Air flow diagram in a typical automotive HVAC

Common Refrigerants used in automotive air conditioners

A comparative study between refrigerants

R12
y y y y y y

Chloro Fluoro Carbon (CFC) Ozone Depletion Global Warming Potential(GWP) ND 6 Compressor oil (Mineral Oil) O Ring material - NBR UNF THREADS AT THE JOINTS

R134a y Hydro Fluoro Carbon (HFC) y ZERO Ozone Depletion y GWP -lesser y ND 8 Poly alkaline Glycol (PAG) y O Ring material - RBR y METRIC THREADS

Introduction to automotive compressors

1. Mounted on the engine 2. Is belt driven 3. Has a magnetic clutch in front 4. Pumps refrigerant in a closed loop through the system 5. Takes in low pressure gas from the evaporator and compresses this to a high pressure super heated gas

1.

The compressor separates the high-pressure and lowpressure sides of the system.
Crank type

2.

The primary purpose of the unit is to draw the lowpressure and low-temperature vapour from the evaporator and compress this vapour into hightemperature, high-pressure vapour.
Reciprocating type Swash type Wobble type

3.

The secondary purpose of the compressor is to circulate or pump the refrigerant through the A/C system under the different pressures required for proper operation.
Rotary type Vane type

Wankle type

Screw type

Scroll type Classification of automotive compressors

Out/Discharge: High Pressure, about 200 psi & High Temperature, above ambient

In/Suction: Low Pressure, about 30 psi & Low Temperature, close to freezing

Scroll Compressor

Classification of automotive compressors

Scroll compressor

The orbiting scroll is driven by the crankshaft and moves in a small circular orbit. The fixed scroll remains stationary

Classification of automotive compressors

Wobble Plate Compressors
The wobble plate does not rotate; it just wobbles, being driven by the angled drive plate that does rotate. Variable displacement, wobble plate compressors can change the angle of the drive plate, and this changes piston stroke and compressor displacement. Most wobble plate compressors have 5 to 7 pistons.

Swash Plate Compressors

The swash plate is mounted at an angle onto the drive shaft. It drives three double-ended pistons. Two sets of reeds control the refrigerant flow in and out of the cylinders,

Vane Compressors

The rotor is driven by the clutch and driveshaft. The vanes move in and out of the rotor to follow the outer wall to pump refrigerant.

Scotch Yoke Compressors

A Scotch yoke compressor has two pairs of pistons that are driven by a slider block on the crankshaft. The pistons are connected by a yoke.

Benefits of Variable Displacement Compressors

Provide smooth compressor operation Maintain constant evaporator temperature Reduces compressor load on engine when system cooling load is low

Introduction to automotive evaporators

Evaporator Operation

1.

Evaporator
1. 2. 3.

The evaporator consists of a refrigerant coil mounted in a series of thin cooling fins. The evaporator is usually located beneath the dashboard or instrument panel. On receiving the low-pressure, low-temperature liquid refrigerant from the thermostatic expansion valve or orifice tube in the form of an atomized (or droplet) spray, the evaporator serves as a boiler or vaporizer to boil the refrigerant.

4.

Heat from the core surface is lost to the boiling and vaporizing refrigerant, which is cooler than the core, thereby cooling the core.

5. 6.

Air passing over the evaporator loses its heat to the cooler core, thereby cooling the air inside the car. Any moisture (humidity) in the air passing over the core condenses on the outside and is drained off as water.

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Classification of automotive evaporators

SP Evaporator (SERPENTINE) SBR, ZEN, INDICA, Toyota Quails. ST Evaporator (SINGLE TANK MULTIFLOW ) ESTEEM

MS Evaporator (MULTITANK MULTIFLOW SUPERSLIM)

LATEST

RS Evaporator

Introduction to automotive condensers

Mounting Bracket Transition Fitting Inlet Tube & Fitting

Air Center

Tube

Reinforcement

Outlet Tube & Fitting

A Serpentine Tube-and-Center (STC) Condenser

Condenser Assembly Condenser Operation

Hot, high pressure gas is pumped from the compressor to enter the condenser.
It takes in hot high pressure gas and cools it. In front of the radiator Removes the heat from the refrigerant

The gas gives up its heat to the air passing through the condenser. Removing heat from the hot gas causes it to change state and become liquid.
The gas goes changes to a sub cooled liquid as it cools. The output of the condenser is at the bottom.

Classification of automotive condensers

Condensers A and C are round tube, serpentine condensers. Condenser B is an oval/flat tube, serpentine condenser. Condenser D is an oval/flat tube, parallel flow condenser. Flat tube condensers are more efficient.

Condenser Types

Serpentine Condenser Parallel Flow Condenser Refrigerant flows from the upper inlet to the bottom outlet through groups of parallel tubes. Some carry refrigerant from the right to the left, and others move it back to the right side. Refrigerant flows from the upper inlet to the bottom outlet through two tubes. These tubes wind back and forth though the condenser.

Methods of automotive cabin heating

The following methods are widely used for automotive cabin heating:(1) By utilizing the heat of engine coolant using a heat exchanger

(2) By reverse operation of Air conditioning cycle using it as a heat pump

(3) By using the reverse thermo electric air conditioners (Based on Peltier Effect)

(4) By using the electric Heaters (PTC heaters)

(5) By using heated Windshield A special windshield has fine wires to electrically defrost. (6) By using the infrared lamps Use Infrared light bulbs to heat a person's body (7) By using fuel fired heater These heaters use kerosene or gasoline as fuel to generate heat. Units are available in market which fit drop in with the existing heater core systems. Although these units use fossil fuel, they put out a lot of heat, which can be useful in very cold climates. (8) By using seat Heaters

Layout of automotive heaters

HVAC components Lay out

Heater core lay out position in an automotive HVAC

Component circuit of automotive heaters

HEATING SYSTEM COMPONENTS:

Heater control valve Heater core Blower motor and fan Blower motor electrical controls Heater and defroster ducts Mode door controls Lever Assy Plastic Cases

Heater core Blower motor assembly Door assembly

Heater Control Panel:Manual Control Type Automatic Control Type

Lever assembly

Plastic cases

Manual Control Type

Automatic Control Type

Heater Control cable

Automatic Control cable

Air Flow circuit of Automotive heaters

Block diagram of HVAC air flow:-

Section View
Typical air flow patterns of an automotive HVAC:-

Introduction to automotive expansion devices

The expansion device separates the high side from the low side and provides a restriction for the compressor to pump against.

There are two styles of expansion devices: The TXV can open or close to change flow. It is controlled by the superheat spring, thermal bulb that senses evaporator outlet temperature, and evaporator pressure

Most OTs have a fixed diameter orifice

Expansion Devices

The three major types of expansion valves: Internally balanced TXVs are the most common. Externally balanced TXVs are used on some larger evaporators.

Externally Balanced

Block Valve Block valves route the refrigerant leaving the evaporator past the thermal sensing diaphragm so a thermal bulb is not needed. Internally Balanced

Orifice tubes

Fixed orifice tube Orifice Tubes

The OT used in a modern vehicle is a tubular, plastic device with a small metal tube inside. The color of the OT is used to determine the diameter of the tube. A plastic filter screen is used to trap debris that might plug the tube. Some older General Motors vehicles used an OT that resembled a brass fuel filter.

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Accumulators

Accumulators are used in the suction line of all OT systems. The accumulator: separates liquid refrigerant so only gas flows to the compressor. Allows oil in the bottom of the accumulator to return to the compressor. provides storage for a refrigerant reserve. contains the desiccant bag for water removal.

Accumulators
provides a place to mount low pressure switches and sensors.

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Receiver Drier

A receiver dryer is mounted in the liquid line of a TXV system. It is used to: to store a reserve of refrigerant. hold the desiccant bag that removes water from the refrigerant. filter the refrigerant and remove debris particles. provide a sight glass so refrigerant flow can be observed. provide a location for switch mounting.

Effect of refrigerant charge levels

Low Refrigerant Levels:

Allow refrigerant to vaporize before evaporator y Prevent proper heat transfer in evaporator y Causes low system pressures
y

High Refrigerant Levels:

Prevent refrigerant expansion in evaporator y Can cause extremely high system pressures y Prevents heat transfer because of high pressure in evaporator
y
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Controls and safety devices

Dampers Thermostat

Dual pressure switch

Pressure relief valve

CONTROLS & SAFETY DEVICES

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A/C systems can include a pressure release valve that is usually mounted at the compressor or a fuse plug mounted on the receiver dryer. The relief valve can open at a preset pressure and then reclose. The center of the fuse plug melts to let pressure escape.

Hose assembly

HOSE ASSEMBLY

Hose suction Low Pressure y Three layers (EPDM, Polyester, Intermediate rubber) y Cooling unit to Compressor

Hose Discharge High Pressure y Four Layers (Nylon Layer inside to minimize permeability) y Compressor to Condenser

Tubes and pipings

Tube Suction
y y

5/8 Tube Carries Low pressure vapor. Connects Cooling Unit and Hose suction.

Tube Discharge
y y

A/c Orifice tube

Tube carries compressed super heated Vapor. Connects Hose discharge and Condenser

Tube liquid
y y y y y y

8mm Tube carries liquid refrigerant. Connects Condenser out, Receiver Drier & TXV Receiver TO Cooling Unit Sight glass for checking Dual pressure switch Charging port

A/c liquidline

Automatic HVAC

Automatic Climate Control

Manufacturing infrastructure required for HVAC manufacturing Manufacturing Infrastructure

Product Development Infrastructure: Testing and validation R&D / Tool Room