Climate Control Modules for Vehicles

Climate control is an important feature necessary in all vehicles. It keeps the car and its occupants comfortable throughout the year regardless of changes in the weather and seasons. There are many different parts in an automotive unit that work to keep the car cozy at a reasonable temperature.

In this article, we will learn about a few parts in a vehicle that plays a role in temperature control:

• A/C Compressors- A compressor is the main unit of an Air Conditioning system, and it works by compressing the refrigerant in AC system. Other components of the refrigeration system include evaporator, blower, expansion valve, condenser and fan. The compressor gets coupled with the engine, and because of this the fuel consumption shoots up when the AC is turned ON.
• Evaporators-An evaporator has many functions, with the main being its ability to remove heat from the interior of your vehicle. It also helps with dehumidification because when warm air goes through the aluminum coils of the evaporator, the moisture condenses and the dust sticks to it and drains out. This is the water that you see dripping out of the vehicle.
• Condenser- When refrigerant enters the condenser from a compressor in high pressure vapor, it turns it into high pressure liquid. A condenser basically releases heat unlike an evaporator that absorbs heat.
• Accumulator- An accumulator’s main function is to contain the liquid refrigerant that comes out of the evaporator so that it doesn’t reach the compressor. This is where the refrigerant gets the chance to warm up and change from a liquid state into a vapor before entering the compressor.
• Heater cores-These are radiator like units that helps in the heating of a vehicle. Hot coolant goes through a winding tube of the heater core after it exits the engine. The are fins attached to these tubes reinforces heat transfer while then heats up the vehicle cabin.
• Cooling fans- This allows for air to move through the radiator when the car is moving slowly or at a stop. This air flow removes the heat from coolant that’s created by the engine. It’s found between the radiator and engine, and it turns on and off as needed.
• Blower Motor- A heater blower motor works in the way that it forces air out through the vents. You can regulate the speed of the motor with a button or knob on dashboard. The motor has a resistor which changes the speed of the fan.

Is there a difference between climate control and air conditioning?

Yes. Air conditioning refers to the manual control of the air that gets pumped inside the interior of the car, along with the manual control of the fan. You can usually turn the AC on inside the car and set the temperature and control the speed of the fan. Air conditioning is cheaper than climate control.

It basically cools down the air, so it’s colder than the air outside. This is why air conditioning is a must have in the summer. The speed of the car and the intensity of sunshine can frequently cause changes to the temperature, which means the driver has to adjust the temperature frequently.

Climate control is a bit more advanced. It’s basically a smarter form of an air conditioner.  It makes everything automatic. You can control it manually but you don’t have to. Although usually found on expensive car models, they have started appearing on lower priced models too.

With climate control, you can set the temperature to whatever you want, and the computer inside your car will use its inbuilt temperature sensors to adjust the temperature accordingly.  It doesn’t matter what temperature it is outside, the temperature inside the car will remain consistent throughout. This is done by mixing cold and warm war and adjusting the balance so the desired temperature is always met.

Car owners who have this feature installed in their cars often set the temperature once and never have to touch it ever again. Some climate control cars come with dual zone or multi zone control which allows the passenger and those at the back to set their own desired temperature in their seats.

A climate control basically also gives you the benefits of a smarter air conditioner and in the long run, saves you money by utilizing less power.