Air conditioning units have rightly become increasingly common in recent years, and cooling one's home, workplace, car, and many other places is now nothing unusual. These energy-efficient units can easily cool room temperatures down to 18°C, creating the perfect atmosphere. Since the range of devices is constantly expanding and providing an overview can be somewhat difficult, we've listed some data and the key features of the various devices for you here.
Regulations:
In 2013, new climate regulations and a new labeling requirement for air conditioners were introduced and standardized across Europe. The classification system that has been in effect since then will surely sound familiar to many: A+ / A++ / A+++
Additionally, water-to-air devices have now also been classified under these regulations. This classification allows consumers to gain a better understanding of the devices, and manufacturers have significantly stepped up their development efforts. As a result, it's safe to say that the days when air conditioners were insatiable power guzzlers are over..
How does an air conditioner work?
Without going into too much detail, here's a very basic explanation of how an air conditioner actually works: An air conditioner operates in a similar way to a refrigerator. A refrigerant (e.g., R134A) is liquefied inside the unit and heated by this compression. The heated refrigerant is forced through a heat exchanger and, in warm exhaust air, is passed through the so-called evaporator, which liquefies the gas again, into the exhaust air duct to the outdoor unit or a discharge hose.
At the front there is a large fan (in the case of a refrigerator, a cooling cell of a much smaller design) which releases the cooled air generated in the device into the desired room.
Mobile or fixed?
Mobile units, in particular, have been gaining ground in recent years thanks to constantly improving technology (particularly in the automotive industry). There are two additional subcategories of permanently installed air conditioning systems: split units with an outdoor and indoor unit, and compact units for window or wall installation. A fixed system generally has the advantage of providing more power with less energy consumption and being relatively robust. Furthermore, it's possible to operate multiple indoor cooling units with just one outdoor unit!
A mobile device (as the name implies), on the other hand, can be activated as needed on hot days and easily stowed away on colder days. Furthermore, mobile devices are generally cheaper to purchase. It's important to note that a mobile device must have a discharge hose; devices without a discharge hose are nothing more than dehumidifiers. Since a device cannot achieve greater than 100% efficiency, an endeavor without a waste heat duct is considered pointless.
Experience shows that the cooling capacity is calculated at approximately 65-75 watts per square meter. This naturally varies depending on the room volume (ceiling height), thermal insulation, proportion of glass area, etc. For a permanent system, it is common practice to have a specialist perform a calculation before preparing a quote. When selecting the device, the calculated value is increased by approximately 10-15% to ensure sufficient cooling capacity over the long term.
Of course, one could go much further here and fill an entire (or even several) diploma thesis with just one of the three climate types, but we hope that this has given you a small insight into the world of air conditioning.
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