Condenser HVAC: Description and Operation

Air Conditioning

A/C Condenser

The A/C condenser is an aluminum fin-and-micro-channel design heat exchanger located in front of the vehicle radiator. It cools compressed refrigerant gas by allowing air to pass over fins and tubes to extract heat and by condensing gas to liquid refrigerant as it is cooled.

On non-hybrid vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, the top portion of the condenser is partitioned from the refrigerant system and is used for transmission fluid cooling.