The expansion valve’s place in the system is at the evaporator inlet. Like any other valve, its job is to control flow; in this case, the amount of refrigerant entering the evaporator.
Receiver/driers (also sometimes called “filter/driers” or “receiver/dehydrators”) look like small metal cans with an inlet and outlet. They are only used in A/C systems that use expansion valves.
The evaporator, also sometimes referred to as the evaporator core, is one of the two (maybe three) heat exchangers in a mobile A/C system. In a typical passenger car or pickup truck, the evaporator is usually located inside the passenger compartment, quite often deeply buried in or under the instrument panel.
The condenser is the other heat exchanger in a mobile A/C system. Nowadays, condensers are usually made of aluminum, but in the past, some were made of copper/brass. Condensers look very much like radiators, just a little thinner, and since they also depend on air flowing through them, are usually located in front of the radiator.
In the northern hemisphere it is the summer season and in most of North America people are experiencing record heat. The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide wants you to remain cool and safe in your vehicle this summer. Here is a brief overview of the components that run your car’s air conditioning system. Knowing what they are can help you be aware of potential problems that might heat things up later.
