CAN WE USE OUR COOLING AIR CONDITIONER FOR HEATING DURING WINTER?
Many countries on our planet are facing a problem due to fluctuation of temperature round the year. We have an Air conditioning unit which helps us to provide a suitable body temperature. A typical Air conditioner has two units, one containing Condenser while other with Evaporator. For heating we use condenser section in required space, while for cooling we use evaporator section in required space. But only one unit is installed in required space while other in open atmosphere according to its major requirement. It is not feasible to interchange the units according to season due to certain disadvantages:
- Loss of refrigerant due to reinstallation which affects the performance
- Cost of reinstallation and maintenance
Reversible Air Conditioning:
The solution of such problems is found by invention of reversible valves. The figure shows the schematic diagram of the reversible valve. The working of this valve is similar to a double acting cylinder, a pressurized fluid (refrigerant itself coming for compressor) is used to move the slide valve guided by an electrical spring control mechanism. This valve is used in controlling the flow of refrigerant.
With the help of a reversible valve the same heat transfer unit can be converted into condenser from evaporator and vice versa. The schematic diagram below shows the working of cooling as well as heating Air conditioning.
Left Hand side figure describes a cooling cycle where hot compressed refrigerant enters the reversing valve (from port A) and leaves (from port D) towards the condenser (outdoor unit) rejecting heat to the atmosphere. After that it passes to the expansion valve depressurized and gets more cooled moves to the evaporator (Indoor unit) cools the space. At last it passes back to the compressor via the reversing valve (through port C and B) and the cycle continues cooling.
Right Hand side figure describes a heating cycle where hot compressed refrigerant enters the reversing valve (from port A) and leaves (from port C) towards the condenser (indoor unit) heating the required space. After that it passes to the expansion valve depressurized and gets cooled and moves to the evaporator (outdoor unit) which gets heated by the atmosphere. At last it passes back to the compressor via the reversing valve (through port D and B) and the cycle continues heating.
By this innovation we can use a single air conditioner in hot summer as well as cold winters by converting the same indoor and outdoor unit into a condenser or evaporator as required.
Written by: Meet Shah(Instagram: @meet8600)
Vociferous Writers (Instagram: @vociferouswriters)
