Which component of an A/C system absorbs heat from the indoor air?

The evaporator coil is the component of an A/C system responsible for absorbing heat from the indoor air. As warm air from the space is blown over the evaporator coil, it transfers heat to the coil, which contains refrigerant that evaporates at low pressure and temperature. This process removes heat from the air, cooling it down before it is circulated back into the indoor environment.

The refrigerant inside the evaporator coil absorbs that heat, causing it to change from a liquid state to a gas state. This is the fundamental principle of heat transfer that allows air conditioning systems to cool interiors effectively. In contrast, the condenser coil's role is to expel the absorbed heat to the outdoor air, while the compressor circulates the refrigerant through the system, and the expansion valve manages the refrigerant flow and pressure before it enters the evaporator coil. Understanding this process is essential for grasping how A/C systems function to maintain comfortable indoor environments.