Final answer:
Clogged air filters may restrict airflow and reduce heat absorption at the evaporator coils, potentially causing refrigerant to remain liquid and flow back towards the compressor, leading to damage as compressors are not designed to handle liquid refrigerant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns whether clogged air filters can cause liquid refrigerant to flow to the compressor in an air conditioning system. In the operation of an HVAC system, the compressor's role is to raise the temperature and pressure of the refrigerant gas, and then it is sent to the condenser coils. Here, the gas condenses into a liquid due to the heat transfer to the surroundings. After condensing, the refrigerant flow continues back to the evaporator coils through an expansion valve, where it is cooled and turns back into a gas.
However, if the air filters are clogged, airflow throughout the system is restricted, which can lead to a reduction in heat absorption at the evaporator coils. This malfunction could potentially cause the refrigerant to remain in a liquid state and flow back towards the compressor, which is designed to handle gaseous refrigerant, not liquid. This situation is hazardous as compressors are not intended to compress liquids and can be severely damaged by liquid refrigerant.