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What are basic terminologies? How does an AC work? How do I choose between window and split AC? What do I look for before buying an AC? What tonnage would suit my room size?

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After a long hot day, the last thing you want is a hot and humid house. Trying to sleep during the hot summer months can also be a nightmare. The best way to ensure you have a cool summer is to invest in an air conditioner. Having a lot of variety of air conditioners in the market can be overwhelming. Models range in size, sophistication, features and price. Never fear, knowing the basic facts and taking a few measurements can take the mystery out of air conditioners and you would be enjoying cool days and restful nights. Air conditioning is the process of treating air so that it simultaneously controls the temperature, relative humidity and cleanliness. Air conditioning can also control room ventilation and air distribution. But before you learn the working and types of Air Conditioners in the market, you must get familiar with the basic terminologies.

Term British Thermal Unit (BTU)

Definition A standard measure of heat energy. One Btu is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Its metric thermal equivalent is 252 calories per hour. As a unit of power, one Btu/h equals 0.2929 watts (W). Manufacturers classify the size, or capacity, of an air-conditioning unit in terms of Btu/h Measured in British thermal units per hour (Btu/h) indicates the quantity of heat a room air conditioner can remove in one hour. Measured in (Btu/h), refers to the maximum amount of heat that can be build up in a space without a cooling system. A Comparative measure of how much cooling an air conditioner provides for each unit of electrical energy that it consumes under standard operating conditions. A units EER is calculated by dividing its cooling capacity by its electrical power input at a specific temperature. In general, the higher EER, the move efficient the unit. Is the standard unit of power Equals 1000 watts. You purchase electricity from your utility by the kilowatt hour (KWh) , equivalent to the amount of power required to operate one 100 W light bulb for 10 hours. To estimate how much electricity an appliance uses, multiply the wattage of the machine by the number of hours it will run. A type of air conditioning system that uses freon as refrigerant lines are piped to it from the indoor unit. The abbreviation for cubic feet per minute commonly used to measure the rate of air flow in an air conditioning system. The process of removing moisture from the air within a space. One of types of basic cooling media (the other is chilled water). Direct expansion systems utilize Freon for cooling & dehumidification. The three most common methods of heat rejection are air cooled, water cooled and glycol cooled. A general term used to identify, any group of partially or completely halogenated simple hydrocarbons containing fluorine, chlorine or bromine, which are used as refrigerants. A type of air conditioning system that uses Freon as a refrigerant and a water/glycol solution as a condensing medium. Typically, the glycol-cooled condenser is located inside the air conditioner with the rest of the refrigeration components. Water/glycol is piped to the unit from a drycooler or other suitable source. The glycol keeps the

Cooling Capacity

Cooling load

Energy efficiency ratio (EER)

Watt (W) One Kilowatt (KW)

Air-cooled system

CFM

Dehumidification Direct expansion systems

Freon

Glycol-cooled system

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solution from freezing during winter operation. Humidification Latent cooling capacity Microprocessor controls The process of adding moisture to the air within a space. An A/C systems capability to remove moisture from the air. A control system that uses computer logic to operate and monitor an air conditioning system. Microprocessor controls are commonly used on modem precision air conditioning systems to maintain precise air temperature and humidity and to monitor the units operation. Precision A/C systems are primarily designed for cooling electronic equipment, rather than people. These pre-packaged systems offer excellent reliability and typically have a high ratio of sensible-to-total cooling capacity and a high CFM/ton ratio. An A/C systems capability to remove heat from the air.(lower the temperature) The unit of measure used in air conditioning to describe the cooling capacity of a system. One ton of cooling is based on the amount of heat needed to melt one ton (2000 lbs.) of ice in a 24 hour period. One ton of cooling is equal to 12,000 Btu/hr. A type of air conditioning system that discharges air into the conditioned space via a top-mounted discharge plenum or through an overhead duct system. A vapor seal is an essential part of preventing moisture infiltration into or migration out of a critical space, such as a data processing center or other room that contains sensitive electronic instrumentation. Essentially, a vapor seal is better that prevents air, moisture, and contaminants from migrating through tiny cracks or pores in the walls, floor, and ceiling into the critical space. Vapor barriers may be created using plastic film, vapor-retardant paint, vinyl wall coverings and vinyl wall coverings and vinyl floor systems, in combination with careful sealing of all openings (doors and windows) into the room. A type of air conditioning system that uses Freon as a refrigerant and water as a condensing medium. Typically, the water-cooled condenser is located inside the air conditioner with the rest of the refrigeration components. Water is peped to the unit from a cooling tower or other suitable source.

Precision air conditioning

Sensible cooling capacity Tonnage

Upflow

Vapor seal

Water cooled system

Top How does an AC work? An air conditioner uses the evaporation of a refrigerant like Freon, to provide cooling. The mechanics of the Freon evaporation cycle are the same in a refrigerator as in an air conditioner.

This is how the evaporation cycle in an air conditioner works: 1. The compressor compresses cool Freon gas, making it hot, high-pressure Freon gas (dark grey in the diagram above). 2. This hot gas runs through a set of coils so it can dissipate its heat, and it condenses into a liquid. 3. The Freon liquid runs through an expansion valve, and in the process, evaporates to become cold, low-pressure Freon gas (light grey in the diagram above). 4. This cold gas runs through a set of coils that allow the gas to absorb heat and cool down the air inside the building. Top Window air-conditioners Window air conditioners are generally used to cool apartments or one to two rooms. Window air conditioners extract heat and moisture from the room and cool and dehumidify it and return it to the room to cool the area. A blower takes the warm air and pours it through a filter to the outside. It is usually fitted in a specially cut opening through the wall or in a window. With window air conditioners, all cooling, heating and circulation components are housed in one box. Todays models have been carefully designed to blend with furnishings and colour schemes of all types. They are available in a range of cooling/heating capacities to suit most rooms. Pros Window air conditioners require very little installation so there is low upfront cost. Less costly compared to Split Air-Conditioners. One self-contained, integral unit

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Cons Quite noisy. Not suitable for large areas. Aesthetically they are not as good as Split Air-Conditioners. Split air-conditioners Air conditioners that fit into this category are split into two functioning components. The compressor/condenser section is located outside your home to ensure quiet operation, while the section housing the evaporator is positioned within the room. To give greater flexibility, the evaporator units may be mounted either below the ceiling on the wall or be of a console type that simply stands on the floor. Either way, the units have a free flow fan that circulates the conditioned air. The two sections may be installed some distance apart, but must be interconnected by means of refrigerant piping and electrical wiring. Split system air conditioners are also available in a wide range of capacities to suit most rooms. Pros Powerful outputs to cool large areas Very quiet operation Lots of features and functions Attractive and unobtrusive designs Good air distribution of the same size. Cons Needs professional help to be installed . More expensive than portable or window units. Has a separate internal and external unit that must be joined requiring drilling and permanent fixing. Top Which one should you buy? There are various considerations that decide whether you should go for a Window Air-Conditioner or a Split AirConditioner. A few things that need to be considered are: Generally, if you have a window in the room or a duct or the wall can be broken to accommodate the AC, then a window AC is suggested. If there is no window/duct/wall that can be broken, then a split AC is suggested. If you are particular about the noise levels of an AC, then again a split AC is suggested. If you are more concerned about the aesthetics of your room, then a split AC is suggested Sizing it up. Whether you should go for a 0.8 ton air conditioner or a 1.5 ton air conditioner depends upon the size of your room. Bigger the room, the higher tonnage of the air conditioner. The chart below gives you a standard that is used to decide the tonnage of the air conditioner:

Square feet provided height of the room is 9.5 to 10 feet 50-100 100-140 140-200 >200

Tonnage 0.8 1 1.5 2

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