How Does Ducted Air Conditioning Work?

Understand your ducted air con system better.
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Understanding Ducted Air Conditioning

Ducted air conditioning provides unobtrusive cooling and heating for homes and buildings of almost any size, from a small two bedroom apartment to a vast multi-storey complex. This style of air conditioning is popular due to features such as its super quiet operation (you barely notice it’s on) and its gentle distribution of air, as well as the fact that it provides a whole home climate control solution in one compact unit.

Ducted Air Conditioning’s Quiet Operation

Ducted air conditioning’s quiet operation is achieved due to the working parts of the system being located either outside the building or in the ceiling space which keeps all but a whisper of noise out of the room.

Air is gently circulated around your home using a system of ducts placed in the ceiling with outlets or vents placed strategically throughout the house.

Zone control systems, located on the indoor unit, control where the air conditioning goes, allowing you to turn off areas not in use to reduce energy wastage. It also provides the flexibility to vary the temperature in different areas of the house ensuring everyone is comfortably warm or cool.

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So, How Does Ducted Air Conditioning Work?

A ducted air conditioner works using a refrigerant which is moved through the air conditioning system via a small pipe, drawing the heat in the air from one area to another.

For instance during the summer, when you’re trying to cool your home, the system absorbs the heat from the air inside as the fan passes air through the indoor unit and across the very cold evaporator coil of refrigerant pipes. This means the air leaves the indoor unit cooler than when it entered, gradually reducing the temperature of the room/home as it circulates through the unit. The reverse happens in the winter, warmth is drawn from the outdoor air to warm your home.

When the refrigerant has passed through the indoor unit, warmed from absorbing the heat inside, it is transferred to the outdoor unit for cooling. Once outside, a fan is used to blow air over the coil of hot refrigerant transferring some of the heat into the outside air. The refrigerant is further cooled by using a compressor to condense the refrigerant releasing the remaining heat.

The cooled refrigerant is then recirculated through the indoor unit. This process repeats continuously as long as your air conditioner is running.

Depending on the style of ducted air conditioning system and the design of the building it’s installed in you may have the option of including a fresh air intake which ensures your home benefits from a supply of fresh, oxygenated air. If your ducted system does not have this feature it will recirculate the air throughout your home, filtering it as it is drawn back up through the air return grill.

References – https://www.daikin.com.au/our-product-range/ducted-system-air-conditioning

Components of a Ducted System

Outdoor Unit (aka Condenser): Typically located outside, the condenser contains several key elements of your ducted air con system – including a compressor, condenser coil and a fan. This compressor circulates the refrigerant , while the condenser coil releases heat to the outside.

Indoor Unit (aka Air Handler): Typically located indoors [in the ceiling or under floors], the air handler contains an evaporator coil, a fan and normally a heating coil. The evaporator coil absorbs heat from the indoor air, while the fan circulates air throughout the ducting.

Refrigerant Lines: Connecting the indoor and outdoor units, these copper lines carry the refrigerant.

Ductwork: Often running through the ceiling or floors, these ducts are insulated channels that distribute conditioned air to different rooms before returning to the indoor unit.

Vents: These are located in the ceilings, walls or floors and are how the conditioned air enters the rooms.

Thermostat: This control panel allows you to set the temperatures and control how the system operates. Some systems allow zoning capabilities which means you can change each room or area uniquely.

Air Filter: Located in the indoor unit, this helps to remove air pollutants such as dust and pollen from the air circulating through the system. Allowing for improved air quality throughout your home or business.

Condensation Drain Pipe: This pipe removes the moisture that condenses on the evaporator coil during the cooling process.

ducted aircon features

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