HISTORY OF AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONING

Automotive air conditioning : that used a refrigerant, was first introduced on the 1940 Packard. Since then , it has become one of the most popular accessories found on car today. Early attempts at automotive air conditioning consisted of evaporative cooler that were hung from the passenger side window.

Water was fed by gravity or capillary action over a filter/screen. Incoming air flowed through the screen into the passenger compartment. The evaporating water absorbed heat from the incoming air. However, the humidity levels inside the car. This made the cooler only practical in the dry, desert climates of the southwestern region of the United States.

The first air conditioners to use a refrigerant were hang-on units. The assembly was mounted under the instrument panel. This unit was independent of the heating, defrosting and ventilation system. The heater core was in separate housing from the evaporator. Operation involves recirculating the from inside the instead of fresh air from the outside.

The next advancement in air conditioning came when the evaporator core was combined in the same housing as the heater core. This referred to a an integrated heating and cooling system. This system allowed the outside air to enter or be recirculated inside the car.

The latest advancement incorporates an Automatis Temperature Control (ATC). Sensors provide information to a computer, which controls the system automatically to maintain the desired temperature setting.