While basic air conditioning theory is relatively straight-forward, there are a number of practical matters that must be considered when operating, maintaining and servicing real air conditioners running at real conditions. These practical considerations include:

• Compressor lubricants
• Internal contamination
• Physical vibrations
• Leak-tight component plumbing and inter-connections among system components
• Temperature and capacity controls
• Compressor mounting and drive

Figure 2 schematically illustrates an actual air conditioning system configured for vehicle (mobile) applications that accommodates these practical considerations. Although containing more detail than Figure 1, the basic vapor air conditioning loop can be clearly recognized.

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