Many HVAC/R technicians (including me) describe the compressor as the heart of the refrigeration cycle. It prepares the refrigerant for the condensing process, which is crucial for heat rejection.  However, some refrigeration methods don’t require a compressor. In this article, we’ll look at those methods and their applications.   Gas movement without compressors As you […]

Back in the “good old days,” controls were all analog and mechanical, which simply means that they acted in a directly connected and variable manner based on a change in force. Both pneumatic (air pressure) or hydraulic (fluid pressure) systems are examples of mechanical or analog controls. When the pressure increased or decreased on a […]

If you went to school and learned the “gas laws” early on, you probably thought it seemed LAME. Then, later, things like mass flow rates, airflow conversions, and compression ratios seemed HARD. Well… It's because HVAC is hard if you don't understand the concepts behind the gas laws, even if you never learn to do […]