Everyday,
Invented.

THE EXPLORER

Follow the idea.
See what changes.

Simple interactive explanations to help the ideas behind an invention click. Our first explorer follows heat through an air conditioner.

A LITTLE LESS MYSTERY

Where does
the heat go?

An air conditioner moves heat out of a room.
Follow the refrigerant through a simplified cooling cycle.

Four stages of a vapor-compression cooling cycleRefrigerant travels from the indoor evaporator through the compressor, outdoor condenser and expansion device, then back to the evaporator. Heat is absorbed indoors and released outdoors. INSIDE YOUR ROOMOUTDOORS 01Evaporator 02Compressor 03Condenser 04Expansion Heat in Heat out A sealed refrigerant loop · schematic, not to scale

The refrigerant goes around the loop. Your room air stays on the indoor side.

FOLLOW THE FOUR STAGES

INDOOR COIL

Take in the heat.

Refrigerant evaporates in the indoor coil, absorbing heat from the room air passing over it.

STEP 1 OF 4
THE IDEA TO KEEP

Heat released outside = heat removed inside + compressor energy

QUICK CHECK

What travels between the indoor and outdoor coils?

Mechanism reference: U.S. Department of Energy, Home Cooling 101. DOE cycle analysis. Educational diagram of cooling mode.

THE WHOLE STORY

A mechanism is
only the beginning.

See how the invention developed over time, or take the diagram and timeline with you in the free companion.

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