Air Conditioning Review and Air Conditioning Ratings. Amcor air conditioning, Delonghi air coolers

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TABLE OF CONTENT

AIR CONDITIONING REVIEW- AIR CONDITIONING RATINGS
THINGS TO CONSIDER
AIR CONDITIONER BUYING GUIDE
BUYING AN AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONING COMPARE CHART
SPLIT VS MONOBLOCK
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

AIR CONDITIONING REVIEW- AIR CONDITIONING RATINGS

Air conditioning modifies the air quality indoors, to make it more comfortable. Air conditioners simply absorbs heat energy from one place and releases it elsewhere.
Air conditioners are used in many offices all year round to regulate air quality, but become essential in summer, to reduce the temperature and humidity levels in the home or work place. Air conditioners provide a cool air flow and do more than just dehumidify; many air conditioning units have special filters to remove small particles such as allergens from the air, so are of particular benefit for those with allergies or asthma.

Air conditioning units can broadly be divided into two types depending on the process and environment.
1. Comfort applications suitable for Low-Rise Residential buildings, High-Rise Residential Buildings, Commercial buildings, Institutional buildings and Industrial spaces
2. Process applications, which aim to provide conditions where a process is carried out, these include Hospital operating theatres, clean rooms, laboratories, aircraft conditioning , data centres, textile factories, chemical and biological laboratories, mines, industrial environments and food cooking and processing.

Air conditioners are not to be confused with Evaporative Air coolers, as they work in a totally different way. Air coolers do not use a refrigerant, and are not able to cool the air in humid conditions. They work by passing air through damp pads, and the moist fanned air creates a sea breeze effect in a localized area, so are perfect for small offices where you cannot have outside venting, but just want to create a cool breeze in which to work comfortably.

Air conditioning does 4 vital things:
1) Cooling
Air conditioners offer accurate temperature control. Air conditioning allows you to create the climate in which you feel comfortable. Air conditioned environments makes you feel fresh and active even when it's extremely hot outside.
2) Heating
Air conditioners can offer heating. Air conditioning allows you to enjoy an ideal constant temperature through out the year, regardless of the weather outside. Heating from an air conditioner unit is environmentally friendly compared traditional heating because it takes energy from the outside air and brings it inside.
3) Cleaning
Air conditioners produce clean, fresh and healthy air. Most indoor units are equipped with filters that catch dust, pollen, mould spores and other allergens as well as smoke and everyday dirt found in the air. Air conditioning is therefore an ideal process for those who suffer from allergic reactions.
4) Dehumidifying
When an air conditioner is in cooling mode it dehumidifies the air. Dehumidified air is a much for comfortable environment to be in. Low humidity prevents dust mites and molds populations growing, which is a very positive factor for those who suffer from allergies. Humans feel most comfortable at humidity levels of 40 to 60 %.

Uses of Air Conditioning
Air conditioning can create the perfect environment for you, with the right temperature and a comfortable humidity.

i) Air conditioning can have a very positive effect on your personal performance. There is connection between your personal performance and the temperature of your immediate surroundings. An air conditioned environment will improve your performance and energy levels.
ii) People naturally cool themselves through the evaporation of perspiration from the skin and air conditioning provided drier air, which improved the comfort provided.
iii) Air conditioning can help those who suffer from asthma and allergies as air conditioners provide cool air inside allowing windows and doors to remain closed preventing exposure to outside triggers such as air pollution, pollen and mould spores which can cause allergic reactions. Air conditioning units also lower humidity levels indoors which help to control mould and dust mite populations.
iv) Air conditioned environments prolong the lifetime of equipments in your home or workplace.

How do Air conditioners work?
Air conditioners come in various sizes, cooling capacities and prices: portable air conditioners, split portables, window air conditioners, condensing units on the roofs, and fully integrated air conditioning systems, but they all work on the same principle. An air conditioner removes hot (and damp) air from indoors and transfers it outdoors via a hose. The tube, similar to a tumble dryer hose (around 1m long), has to be vented to the outside ideally through a small venting hole made in the wall or window. For a quick fix (temporary solution) you can, with the use of a flattened oval adaptor supplied, put the hose out of a partially opened window or door. In the more powerful split system mobile type, the heat, along with excess humidity is discharged by the external (condenser) unit.

The hot air from the room is drawn by a fan into the air conditioner, and passes over an evaporator coil, which contains refrigerant. The refrigerant is pushed around the air conditioner by the compressor. The refrigerant is very cold and absorbs the excess heat from the air. This cooled air is pushed out through the front air vents back into the room. The absorbed heat in the refrigerant is transferred to a condensing (hot) coil, which causes the refrigerant to release its heat. The heat is then discharged from the room, either to a second section (split units) or directly into the outside air (mono-block unit). The cycle then starts again, to keep the room at the required temperature. Some air conditioners automatically remove the excess moisture from the air and evaporate it away with the excess heat. This also improved the overall level of comfort, reducing that sticky high humidity. With this type, there is no drip tray or tank to empty, so the only maintenance required is to clean the filter to maintain the air conditioner's efficiency. Other units utilise the moisture that has condensed and uses it to boost the cooling efficiency, in a similar way to water cooling, this is called condensate cooling.

The Air Conditioning Compressor
Air conditioning compressors provide air conditioning, heat pumping, and refrigeration for large-scale facilities and equipments. They compress low-pressure, low-volume gas into high-pressure and high-temperature gas.
There are three main categories of refrigeration compressors and air conditioning compressors: screw, scroll and piston. Screw compressors pass refrigerant vapour through screw spindles which compress the gas. Although most screw compressors have two spindles, products with three or more spindles are also available. Scroll compressors are the most common types of refrigerant compressors. They have a relatively low rate of leakage and provide high efficiency. Piston compressors or reciprocating compressors are specifically designed for industrial and commercial applications. They compress gases to high pressures and are designed for continuous operation.
Other types of specialized refrigeration compressors and air conditioning compressors are also available. Air conditioning compressors require an analysis of refrigerant options and nominal cooling specifications. Refrigerant choices include R12, R13, R22, R134a, R404a, R407c, R502, and R507. There are four nominal cooling specifications to consider: capacity, input power, condensing temperature, and evaporative temperature. Capacity measures the ability of a refrigerant compressor to remove heat from the refrigerant gas. Nominal ratings are based on a standard set of conditions which include condensing temperature (CT), evaporative temperature (ET), refrigerant, and motor revolutions per minutes (rpm). Typically, refrigeration compressors and air conditioning compressors can run at many different values for these parameters, with corresponding changes in their cooling capacity

TYPES OF AIRCONDITIONING UNITS

1) Portable air conditioners are the easiest and quickest way to improve your comfort in the summer months, they have all the advantages of fixed systems but are ready to use immediately. You just plug the portable air conditioning unit in and set your perfect temperature. The units are ideal when different rooms need to be cooled at different times as the units can be moved from room to room. They work by simply taking hot damp air from a room and expelling it to the outside while the air inside the room is chilled and re-circulated.

Portable Air Conditioners are ideal for someone who:

Suffers from hay fever so is unable to open windows in summer for fresh air.
Has central air conditioning which is unable to cope in very hot days, so needs extra cooling.
Wants to avoid the trouble and expense of fully installed air conditioning.
Has a room or office that gets particularly hot, for example, upper floor rooms.
Wants the flexibility to move the unit from room to room to cool different areas at different times of the day.

Advantages of Portable Air Conditioners:

Cheap to buy.
No installation required
Simple to use – turn on and vent exhaust hose.
Immediately effective – great cooling solution
Can be stored when not in use
Ideal to cool a specific spot
Portable – easy to maneuver and can be used wherever you want!

Disadvantages of Portable Air Conditioners:

Quite noisy
Not suitable for larger areas
Need to keep a window or door open to vent exhaust hose
Tank may need to be emptied regularly as some models build up condensation

Different Types Of Portable Units:

2) Single Units or Monoblocks are the easiest of units for immediate use. The single unit air conditioner is simply plugged in, and the flexible hose, which is used to expel the hot and damp air, must be vented through an outside wall or window. A flattened adaptor at the end of the hose can be fitted through a partially opened window or door, or the hose can be fed through a hole, using the socket provided with the unit. You can have either air cooled units or air and water cooled units. Air plus water-cooled units give you a larger cooling power but you do need regular refilling of the water tank and the unit will require de-scaling in hard water areas.

3) Split System - For larger or hotter rooms split portable air conditioners are normally required. The split system unit consists of 2 units, a controlling unit inside the room and a condenser unit outside connected by refrigerant lines, which can be detached from the outside unit for installation. The indoor unit draws in the hot air to the outside condenser unit, and expels cold air into the room. The external condenser box can be placed either on the ground outside or hooked by straps over the edge of a window frame. Split system portable air conditioners are usually quieter, as the noisier part is outside.

4) Heat Pumps - A heat pump is an air conditioner that contains a valve which allows it switch between "air conditioning" and "heating". When the valve is switched one way, the heat pump acts like an air conditioner, and when it is switched the other way it reverses the flow of the liquid inside the heat pump and acts like a heater.
Heat pumps can be extremely efficient in their use of energy; however, they do have their disadvantage in that the coils in the outside air collect ice. The heat pump has to melt this ice periodically, so it switches itself back to air conditioner mode to heat up the coils. To avoid pumping cold air into the house in air conditioner mode, the heat pump also lights up burners or electric strip heaters to heat the cold air that the air conditioner is pumping out. Once the ice is melted, the heat pump switches back to heating mode and turns off the burners. The heat pump air conditioning units work efficiently where the climate is mild and not very hot.

5) Water Cooled Evaporative Air Conditioners - Evaporative coolers provide cooling by blowing hot, dry air over a wetted pad and cooling the hot air by the process of evaporation. This is achieved by placing water in the air conditioning unit and air blown on the surface of the water creates lower temperatures and blows cool air into the surroundings. Water is used to remove heat from the refrigerant and at the same time reduce the work of the compressor.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

First – look at the product specifications of the air conditioner to check out BTUs and EERs

BTUs: The higher the Btu value, the stronger the air conditioner is. Btus are the best indicator of what air conditioner you should buy. The smaller the room, the fewer Btus needed.

Find the EER number for each unit . "EER" stands for "Energy Efficiency Ratio." Energy Efficiency Rating or EER is measured in accordance with the Energy Information (Household Air Conditioners) Regulations 2005. A higher EER rating is preferable, but is normally found in more expensive units. So the higher the EER rating, the cheaper the long term running costs compared to a unit with a similar cooling capacity but with a lower EER rating.

Here are some other things to think about when purchasing your air conditioner:

i) Warranty : Make sure that your air conditioner comes with at least a one-year warranty. Then, if something breaks, you can return it and get a new one or it can be serviced free of charge.

ii) Cooling ability: There are limits to how cold the room temperature can be made. When operating in a suitably sized room, most air conditioners will cool to around 21c. Mobile air conditioners are designed for peoples comfort. The ideal summer temperature for most people is around 21- 24c.

iii) Venting/exhaust: The truly portable or monoblock air conditioner has to get rid of the condensation created by cooling humid air and also has to vent out the heat. Some units have a drip tray or tank/bucket that the condensate runs in to and this has to be emptied fairly regularly, but many vents out the hot air and evaporate the condensed water through an exhaust hose. Alternatively, other units have a drainpipe, which can be drained through a nearby window or hole in the wall. If you don't want to be emptying a bucket, check the specifications of the air conditioner unit that you are interested in before purchasing.

iv) Running Costs: Most of the single units input power is less than 1000w (1kw) per hour. Therefore the average cost to run on full power would be about 5p/6p per hour. Split systems have inputs of around 1.3kW/hr, so would cost about 8p per hour to run on full power.

v) Sleep setting/Energy saver switch : Some unit air conditioners have a sleep setting. This can be used at night when you are sleeping; the air conditioner slows down the cooling process, saving money and energy.

vi)Fan speed settings : Look to see how many fan speeds are offered on the unit. The more fan settings available means the better the energy saving will be.

vii) Location- Distance from vent location: Often we are asked if the hose can be extended to reach to a window or opening that is further from the unit than the hose will reach to. We would not recommend that you extend the hose provided in the single air conditioners, but if you have no other option it is important to vent into a much larger diameter vent pipe. If the air conditioners fan cannot expel heat fast enough, i.e. there is a back pressure or constriction to the air flow the unit will not work and could even be damaged. Wherever possible avoid extending the hose length, so site the mobile next to an outside wall or window. If you have difficulty in venting the hose to the outside you may find that you can vent into a room where the temperature doesn't matter, for example, from an office to a warehouse. On split systems the refrigerant lines cannot be extended.

Maintaining your Air Conditioner:

Clean and change your filters often.
Turn your air conditioner on a low setting or turn off when you are away from home for the day.
Make sure the room you are air conditioning has tight seals around all the windows and doors. This will save you energy and money.
Hose off the back of the unit if debris has clogged cooling coils.

Troubleshooting- if the unit stops working

Check that the protection switch has not cut in, and that the plug fuse is rated at 13amp.
Check that there is no condensation, or blockage, to either the exhaust hose or refrigerant lines.
Drain any condensate that may have built up in particularly humid conditions.

AIR CONDITIONER BUYING GUIDE

1) Choose the room and then measure the size

The first thing you need to do is select the room in which you would like to install the Air Conditioner. Room air conditioners are an affordable alternative to central-air conditioner systems. New air conditioning models are more energy-efficient compared to older ones. Newer features such as electronic temperature control are more precise than the older knob controls and can also save you money in the long run. Be aware that if you select a room that is connected to an adjacent space through an open door or archway, the two rooms together constitute one room when trying to buy an air conditioner. You will therefore need to purchase an air conditioner efficient enough to circulate air sufficiently for the size of both rooms together. Keep this in mind when you measure how many square feet the air conditioner is going to keep cool.

Air conditioners are available in different sizes, and have cooling capacities from 5,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units per hour) to as high as 30,000 BTUs.

Understanding BTU's
Watt is a unit of power while British Thermal Units (BTU) represents energy per hour of equipment operation.
1 Watt = 3.41 BTU/Hr
1 BTU/Hr = 0.29 Watts
1 kW = 3412.14 BTU/Hr

Most air conditioners have their capacity rated in British thermal units ( BTU ). First you will need to work out your rough BTU requirement for your room size. Room sizes for the units are calculated on the basis that 40 watts is needed to cool 1 cubic metre (4Btu/h per cubic foot). Here's how:

Multiply length x width x height of the room to be cooled. This = the rooms cubic capacity.
If working in feet: Multiply cubic feet x 4. This =Btu/h.
If working in metres: Multiply cubic metres x 40. This = the number of watts required.
Select which model in the range is closest in cooling capacity to your requirements.

For example, if working in feet and BTU's:

Room size of 12 x 15 x 10 feet =1800 cubic feet

Multiply by 4 = 7200

Therefore an air conditioner with 7200 btu/h or greater cooling capacity would be required.

To choose the right size air conditioner for the space you're cooling see the chart below for initial size, then you need to consider the following:

How many people are in the room? Each person will generate about 2000 BTU worth of heat. You will need to add about 600 BTU's for each additional person using the room over 2 people.

How many electrical goods such as computers are in the room
How many windows are there, particularly facing the sun? You will need to add about 10% extra BTU's for a sunny location.
How hot is the climate where you live?
Do you need it in the day, when it is hot, or at night time?
Is the room on an upper storey floor, hot air travels up, so you will need to add about 10% extra BTU's for this too.
Is the room to be cooled a kitchen? If so you will need to add about 4000BTU's for this.

All these factors will add more heat to the room, so a more powerful unit will be needed. If you buy a unit that is not powerful enough for your room, then it will not be able to cope on the hot days when you really need it. It will improve the air, but it will be acting as a comfort cooler, or spot cooler, taking heat out of the room but not actually reducing temperatures.

Area in Square Feet	BTU's Needed
100-150	5000btu
150-250	6000btu
250-300	7000btu
300-350	8000btu
350-450	10000btu
450-650	12000btu
650-850	13000btu
850-1100	18000btu
1100-1400	24000btu
1400-1800	25000btu
1800-2500	29000btu

Understanding Heating and Cooling Equipment Performance Ratings
SEER – The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is a representation of the cooling season efficiency of a heat pump or air conditioner in cooler climates. It applies to units of less than 65,000 Btuh capacity
EER – The Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of a unit’s efficiency at full load conditions and 95 degrees outdoor temperatures. It typically applies to larger units over 65,000 Btuh capacity.
HSPF – The Heating Season Performance Factor is a representation of the heating efficiency of a heat pump in cooler climates.
COP – Coefficient of Performance is the measure of heating efficiency of a heat pump at a constant temperature of 47 degrees.
Btuh – Btuh or Btu/h is a rate of heating or cooling expressed in terms of British Thermal Units per Hour.
Ton – One ton of cooling is the energy required to melt one ton of ice in one hour. One ton = 12,000 Btuh

AIR CONDITIONERS RATINGS

AIR CONDITIONING COMPARE CHART

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked questions

What do I do when the Air Conditioner is delivered?
IMPORTANT NOTE – Unpack the Air Conditioning unit and leave it standing upright for 2 hours before switching it on. Whilst leaving the Air Conditoning unit to stand read the instruction manual and decide how to vent the hose from the room.

When do I use the Air Conditioner for best results?
It is recommended to start the unit 1-2 hours before the sun shines into the room. The Air Conditioner will therefore be able to remove the hidden heat from the fabric of the building so that the unit doesn't struggle to remove heat from the sun and heat from the brickwork.

How can I use the Air Conditioning unit in more than one room? How do I install the through the wall kit?
You are able to purchase additional through the wall kits with cap direct from the manufacturer. Use a core drill to produce a 5” diameter hole, install the through the wall unit and connect it to the hose – a local building maintenance man will be able to do this for you in under 30 minutes. To prevent rodents from entering, use a decorative grill that can be purchased in DIY/hardware stores. If you intend on storing the Air Conditioning unit through out the winter, remove the hose ands place the cap on the inside of the through the wall unit. This can be secures with a small screw.

How do I use my Air Conditioning Unit for best results?
Close external doors and windows to minimise the amount of heat pouring into that space. Direct the exhaust air (the hot air coming out of the unit) away from the open window using the foam spacer provided. Ideally use the through the wall kit as there is only a hole and no gaps like when using the window kit. Keep the exhaust hose as short as this will minimise the amount of heat the hose will radiate.

Can I extend the hose?
NO. You must not extend the hose. The Air Conditioning unit will become less efficient as the hot air outflow will reduce, causing the unit to use more power, resulting in unwanted heat being radiated back in to the room.

What happens to the collected water in the Air Conditioning Unit?
Depending on what Air Conditioner you have purchased the collection of water varies. In some of the Sir Conditioners the water from the humidity and heat is colletced in a tank and HAS to be emptied regularly. This type of Air Conditioner can also be used as a dehumidifier in the winter by switching to the cooling mode and not venting the hose. Helpful Hint – Point the hose form the Air Conditioning unit at wet clothes indoors and the hot air from the hose will dry the clothes and the water will collect in the tank. The room will therefore be warm as the air is circulating back into the room via the hose.
Other Air Conditioning units use the water they have collected to improve cooling efficiency. Within these types of Air Conditioners, water is sprayed over the internal hot coil; excess water is then removed via the hose with hot air. These types of units have a smaller tank that will only need to be emptied occasionally.

IMPORTANT NOTE – All Air Conditioning Unit must be drained at the end of the season.

How do I keep my Air Conditioner well maintained?
Keep the filters as clean as possible. The air filter in an air conditioner should be kept clean and clear. Your air conditioning system will not work to its highest performance if its filters are blocked or dirty. It advised to check your filter about once every week. The less restricted the airflow through the Air Conditioning unit the better it will work.

Can air conditioning make you ill?
Air conditioning can only make you ill when the air conditioner unit is not well maintained. An air conditioner that is well maintained provides healthier environment. Air conditioning controls humidity levels which reduces the growth of dust mites and mould – which is positive for an allergy sufferer. The supply of fresh air from the air conditioner will prevent ‘sick building syndrome' (illnesses linked to living in certain buildings/conditions for too long). All air conditioning units are equipped with a filter. Air conditioning filters can catch dust and particles over fine dust and pollen, bacteria, viruses and odours and even microbes and smoke. Remember to replace the filters approximately every 6 months.

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