Design

• An auto compressor consists of a pump that mounts to the internal combustion engine. The engine's crankshaft, or device used to convert linear piston motion into rotational motion, drives the belt, which in turn moves the pump.
  
  

Compressor Sides

• The compressor pump consists of a normal high side and a normal low side. The high side, or high-pressure side, acts as an intake side for the pump. The low side, or low-pressure side, takes the form of a suction hose, and acts as the discharge side for the pump.
  
  

Function

• The high side pulls in refrigerant via suction from the evaporator's outlet. The evaporator serves as a heat absorption element, and removes humidity and heat from the refrigerant. Pressure exerted on the compressor's high side compresses the refrigerant, which then discharges through the low end, or discharge side, and is sent to the condenser, or device used to condense the gas into a liquid.