I read an article today that said that modern AC units require a dryer built into them as HFC refrigerants like R-134a absorb water, whereas old Freon AC units did not require a dryer. Does this mean that AC units from the 50s did not dry out the air like modern ones do?
In: Physics
> I read an article today that said that modern AC units require a dryer built into them as HFC refrigerants like R-134a absorb water
So that’s not quite what they are talking about.
ACs dry the air because as the air passes over the cold radiator it forms condensation. That condensation was the mosture in the air, so the air comes out colder and dryer. This is true of an R-134a based AC unit, a freon based unit, even thermoelectric coolers that don’t contain any refrigerants.
Why R-134a needs a dryer system is in case there is any leak and water does get into the refrigerant lines (even just temporarily while doing maintanence), as you don’t want that water messing the compressor up.
(Edit a missing word)
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