How air conditioner work

When the temperature outside begins to climb, many people seek the cool comfort of indoor ai r conditioning. Like water towers and power lines, air conditioners are one of those things that we see every day but seldom pay much attention to.

Wouldn't it be nice to know how these indispensable machines work their magic?

Air conditioners come in various sizes, cooling capacities and prices. One type that we see all the time is the window air conditioner, an easy and economical way to cool a small area:


People who live in suburban areas usually have a condenser unit in the backyard:

If you live in an apartment complex, you'll probably see multiple condensers for each dwelling:


Most businesses and office buildings have condensing units on their roofs, and as you fly into any airport you notice that warehouses and malls may have 10 or 20 condensing units hidden on their roofs:


At office complexes, you'll find large cooling towers that are connected to the air conditioning system:


Even though each of these machines has a pretty distinct look, they all work on the same principles. In this article, we'll examine air conditioners -- from small to huge -- so you know more about what you're seeing. We'll also look at some new, energy-efficient cooling methods.