Air conditioning maintenance in cars

Regular maintenance of Brisbane Air Conditioning system in the car not only ensures correct functioning. This also ensures perfect air hygiene in the passenger compartment. Alfons Urban, Head of Technical Department at the aerosol manufacturer, explains to us what has to be taken into account.

As with air conditioning systems in buildings, the air conditioning system in the car must also be inspected at regular intervals for function and possible contamination. Replacing the pollen and cabin air filters alone is far from meeting the hygiene requirements of air conditioning systems. Germs, bacteria or fungi also cavort in the pipes and adhere to the individual components. There are ways to remove these effectively – without having to remove the entire air conditioning system and without leaving behind residues that are hazardous to the occupants’ health.

Mr. Urban, the air-conditioning service checks the functions of the most important components such as the refrigerant compressor, condenser, evaporator and expansion valve.

Are all these parts equally contaminated?

No. Only air-carrying components, such as the evaporator, are contaminated. This becomes very cold due to the evaporation of the refrigerant and the humidity of the air flowing through condenses. The evaporator is always wet during operation and any particles that get caught can create a climate in which microbial growth is possible.
From our experience the evaporator is therefore a main source for a possible contamination in the climate system.

Are there structural differences between the air conditioning systems in cars and those in trains or airplanes?

Yes, mainly the size comparison shows clear differences, whereby the physical working principle is always the same on the whole. In trains or airplanes, for example, the ducts are umpteen times longer and fans, evaporators and condensers are similar in performance to the considerably larger

How exactly is the air conditioning system in the car cleaned? Are there any special features?

Professional cleaning takes place directly at the evaporator. Here one uses the access via the pollen filter shaft or the opening of a temperature sensor. With a special probe the evaporator is rinsed with pressure and a special cleaner.

In your opinion, is there a particularly suitable time to change the filter for allergy sufferers?

Allergy sufferers are particularly susceptible. For allergy sufferers, we recommend changing the filter in spring and autumn. If the filter is changed only once a year, we recommend – contrary to popular opinion – changing the filter in autumn. After all, the filter was loaded with substances from the environment all year round. Under certain circumstances a microbiological film can form and continue to grow. This would also place an excessive load on the evaporator in winter, which could lead to complaints in spring when the air conditioning system is switched on for the first time. Interiors adapted.

Are there different maintenance requirements for trains and aircraft than for cars? Are the intervals for the next cleaning shorter?

A distinction must be made between private and public use. I am jointly responsible for hygiene in my own car. But when I board a train or an airplane, I have to rely on the operator. Of course, the maintenance and its intervals differ considerably. In the case of trains or airplanes, almost the entire system is dismantled and cleaned after certain intervals. This is not the case in automotive engineering.

Does VDI 6032 play a role in their manufacture or application?

Yes, for example, we have no fragrances or perfume oils in the cleaner. This means that we do not run the risk of triggering allergic reactions.

And during cleaning, we always carry out a combination of mechanical and chemical cleaning. This is also recommended in the directive.

Are there any other VDI guidelines of importance to Tunap?

For years, we have followed the guidelines or recommendations of the NSF, the UBA or the WHO, especially in the area of product development.
As a VDI guideline, only VDI 6032 is currently of importance to us in the field of air conditioning cleaning.

It is not necessary to visit a workshop to change the cabin air filter. Cleaning sprays/cleaning foam can also be sprayed into the evaporator with the aid of a hose.

What do you think of this cleaning “at home”?

This is not advisable. Professional, comprehensive cleaning cannot be carried out with foam sprays or plastic probes. With all these “methods” the mechanical effect is missing by the spray jet carried out quite purposefully with high pressure. Also the necessary tool for rinsing the evaporator (pressure cup gun with special probe) is normally not available to the private person. And if you want to avoid allergic reactions or leave sticky surfaces behind, it is better to go to a specialist.

Leave a Reply