A car air conditioner gets the air from the surrounding environment, usually from outside the vehicle. When you turn on the car's air conditioning system, it draws in the outside air through the front grille or vents located near the base of the windshield. This air is then passed through the air conditioning system, where it goes through a series of processes to cool and dehumidify it before blowing it out into the cabin.
The air conditioning system typically includes components like the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and refrigerant to achieve the cooling effect. The system works by compressing and expanding a refrigerant gas, which absorbs and releases heat from the air, ultimately cooling it down before sending it into the car's interior through the vents.
In some cases, car air conditioners may have a recirculation mode, where they recycle the air inside the cabin instead of pulling in fresh outside air. This can be useful in certain situations, such as when driving through areas with high pollution or unpleasant odors outside, as it allows the car to maintain a more consistent internal air quality. However, in most cases, the car air conditioner gets its air from the outside to ensure proper ventilation and cooling efficiency.