A window air conditioner cools down a room when placed on a table and turned on because it operates on the principle of heat transfer and uses a refrigeration cycle to remove heat from the indoor air.
Here's how it works:
Refrigerant: Inside the air conditioner, there is a chemical refrigerant that has a low boiling point. This refrigerant is responsible for absorbing and releasing heat as it changes from a liquid to a gas and back to a liquid.
Evaporator: When the air conditioner is turned on, the indoor fan pulls warm room air into the unit. The warm air passes over the evaporator coils that contain the cold refrigerant. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the air, causing it to evaporate and turn into a low-pressure, low-temperature gas.
Compression: The now heated and pressurized gas refrigerant is then pumped to the compressor, where its temperature rises even more.
Condenser: The hot, high-pressure refrigerant gas is sent to the outdoor unit, where a fan blows air over the condenser coils to dissipate the heat. As a result, the refrigerant condenses back into a high-pressure liquid state.
Expansion valve: The high-pressure liquid refrigerant is passed through an expansion valve, which reduces its pressure and temperature, turning it back into a low-pressure, low-temperature liquid.
Repeat cycle: The cooled liquid refrigerant is then sent back indoors to the evaporator coils, and the cycle continues as long as the air conditioner is running.
As this refrigeration cycle repeats, the warm air from the room is continuously pulled in, cooled down, and then released back into the room. This process effectively removes heat and humidity from the indoor air, making the room feel cooler and more comfortable.
When you place the window air conditioner on a table, it helps to improve the unit's efficiency because the cold air coming out of the air conditioner can now flow more freely and reach a wider area in the room, rather than being obstructed by furniture or other objects on the floor. Additionally, placing it at a higher level can help the cool air to spread more evenly throughout the room.
It's important to note that while window air conditioners can effectively cool down a room, their cooling capacity is limited by factors such as the size of the unit, the room's insulation, and outdoor temperature. For larger spaces or more substantial cooling needs, central air conditioning or multiple window units may be necessary.