Here's how an air conditioning system and its components work.
Compressor
Compressor: The compressor is the power unit of the A/C system. It is powered by a drive belt connected to the engine's crankshaft. When the A/C system is turned on, the compressor pumps out refrigerant vapor under high pressure and high heat to the condenser.
Condenser
Condenser: The condenser is a device used to change the high-pressure refrigerant vapor to a liquid. It is mounted ahead of the engine's radiator, and it looks very similar to a radiator with its parallel tubing and tiny cooling fins. If you look through the grille of a car and see what you think is a radiator, it is most likely the condenser. As the car moves, air flowing through the condenser removes heat from the refrigerant, changing it to a liquid state.
Receiver/Dryer
Receiver/Dryer: Refrigerant moves to the receiver-dryer. This is the storage tank for the liquid refrigerant. It also removes moisture from the refrigerant.
Expansion Valve
Expansion Valve: The expansion valve, which is normally factory set to the Air Conditioners manufacturers specification, is probably the most important component in the system. It is designed and pre-set to control the flow of liquid refrigerant via its orifice valve which allows expansion from liquid to vapour (hence its name) as the refrigerant leaves the expansion valve and enters the evaporator, Vast problems will happen if the orifice is allowed to block up with foreign matter.
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