Compressor
The component that compresses gaseous refrigerant to sustain the refrigeration cycle — the main mechanical part, and the most expensive one, in an air-conditioning system.
What does the compressor do in an air-conditioning system?
The compressor draws in gaseous refrigerant from the evaporator, compresses it — raising its pressure and temperature — and discharges it toward the condenser. It sustains the circulation of the fluid and therefore the transfer of heat from inside the building to the outdoors. Without a working compressor, there is no cooling.
Where is it found in commercial equipment?
In every rooftop unit, packaged or split air conditioner, heat pump and chiller: one to several compressors per machine depending on capacity and staging. Recent commercial units mostly use scroll compressors, sometimes variable-speed to modulate capacity against the actual load.
How do you protect this investment in operation?
Compressor failures are rarely spontaneous: they follow a refrigerant leak, fouled coils, short cycling or degraded electrical supply. Preventive maintenance that measures pressures, superheat and current draw catches these drifts while they still only cost an adjustment — not a replacement.