How Do Heating And Cooling Coils Work?

How do heating and cooling coils work?

Heating coils work by having a heated medium, such as hot water, steam, or an electric current, pass through them. As the medium transfers its heat to the coil, the air that is blown over the coil absorbs the heat and gets warmed up, which is then distributed for heating the space.

Cooling coils, on the other hand, are connected to a refrigerant system. The refrigerant absorbs heat from the air as it passes over the coil, causing the air to cool down. The refrigerant then goes through a cycle to release the absorbed heat outside the system.

For instance, in a hydronic heating system with a heating coil, hot water circulates through the coil and warms the passing air. In an air conditioning system with a cooling coil, the refrigerant evaporates inside the coil, extracting heat from the air and cooling it. The cooled air is then sent into the room. Another example could be an electric heating coil where the electric current directly heats the coil to warm the air. And in a refrigeration-based cooling coil, the refrigerant's phase change is utilized to achieve cooling.