Refrigeration System

• Maintaining optimal temperatures is the function of a refrigeration system.Ryan McVay/Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  Transference is the basic principle of refrigeration. Hot air cools during transfer to the outside of the refrigerator. A refrigerator system, like an air conditioner, has an evaporator, a condenser and a compressor, but it also has an expansion valve and a refrigerant. The refrigerant conducts the heat from the refrigerator. Refrigeration occurs in cycles. In order for a cycle to complete, all five basic components must be present and working within the system.
  
  

Air Conditioning System

• Central air systems have air ducts transferring hot and cold air.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Air conditioners contain fluid that flows to the compressor as low-pressure gas. The fluid is cool and packed tight with molecules to generate a high level of energy and heat. The fluid leaves the compressor packed with molecules high in temperature and flows into the condenser. The fins in the air conditioner disburse the hot air, allowing it to cool quicker. The condenser converts the gas to liquid. The liquid flows into the evaporator under high pressure and converts into gas again as the liquid evaporates. The gas pulls the heat from the air, cooling it. The fan blows the cooled air back into the room.
  
  

Fan

• The fan is an external component in a cooling system.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  The fan connects to the evaporator. The purpose of the fan is to circulate cooled air inside the room. The fan blows air over fins in the air conditioner, cooling it and blowing it into the room. Hot air rises allowing cool air to fill the room from the bottom up. In both air conditioners and refrigerators there is a vent sucking hot air into the evaporator to cool the gas inside. The fan blows the cool air into the body of the refrigerator or the room through different ducts. The cycle of both systems is continuous and controlled by a thermostat which turns the system on and off in order to maintain the desired temperature.
  
  

Legionnaires' Disease

• Legionnaires' Disease requires medical treatment and removal of bacteria in the cooling system.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  The public is misinformed to think commercial air conditioning systems cause Legionnaires' disease. In actuality poor cooling tower maintenance causes the disease. Water is recycled in a cooling tower, creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria to grow. Recycled water from the cooling tower creates a drift or mist of aerosol bacteria that people inside breathe in. The risk of Legionnaires; disease from commercial air conditioning systems is so high that routine maintenance with a biocide is required. People at elevated risk of contracting Legionnaires' disease include those over 50 years old, heavy smokers and drinkers, diabetics, and those with chronic lung disease or an impaired immune system.