A/C System Functions And Tasks: Comfort
- Being comfortable while driving leads to better concentration and safe driving. An A/C system makes drivers and passengers more comfortable especially when temperatures or humidity are high. While open windows, an open sunroof or an increased airflow can make vehicle occupants feel more comfortable, it also exposes them to more noise, drafts and unhindered entry of exhaust, pollen and dust.
- A well-designed heating and air conditioning system can increase comfort by controlling the temperature, humidity and air flow inside the vehicle. This is done both when the vehicle is moving and when it is stationary.
The A/C system also offers these advantages:
- Drying the air in the vehicle interior (on the cold evaporator the humidity condenses and is routed as condensation water, at the heater core for the heater the air is warmed back to preset temperature, from this the proportion of water in the air is lowered and the relative humidity is lowered).
- Additional cleaning of the air entering the vehicle interior (dust and pollen, for example which may have already passed the dust and pollen filter, are washed out by the moist fins of the evaporator and removed with the condensation water).
- Temperatures in a mid-size vehicle (for example: after a short drive, outside temperature 30 °C (86 °F) in the shade and the vehicle exposed to sunlight).
| With A/C System | Without A/C System | |
|---|---|---|
| Head area | 23 °C (73.4 °F) | 42 °C (107.6 °F) |
| Upper body area | 24 °C (75.2 °F) | 40 °C (104 °F) |
| Foot area | 30 °C (86 °F) | 35 °C (95 °F) |