History and Development of Air Conditioning
– Air conditioning dates back to prehistory.
– Ancient Egyptian buildings used a wide variety of passive air-conditioning techniques.
– Passive techniques remained widespread until the 20th century.
– Passive techniques are being revived and modified for 21st-century architectural designs.
– In 1558, Giambattista della Porta described a method of chilling ice.
– In 1620, Cornelis Drebbel demonstrated Turning Summer into Winter.
– Francis Bacon described an experiment of artificial freezing.
– In 1758, Benjamin Franklin and John Hadley conducted an experiment on evaporation.
– In 1820, Michael Faraday discovered that compressing and liquefying ammonia could chill air.
– In 1842, John Gorrie used compressor technology to create ice.
– Gorrie envisioned centralized air conditioning that could cool entire cities.
– In 1851, James Harrison created the first mechanical ice-making machine.
– Harrison was granted a patent for an ether vapor-compression refrigeration system.
– Harrison entered the debate over how to compete against ice-refrigerated beef sales.
Invention and Usage of Air Conditioning
– Air conditioning is used to achieve a more comfortable interior environment.
– It can be achieved using a mechanical air conditioner or other methods.
– Air conditioning is a member of a family of systems and techniques that provide HVAC.
– Air conditioners range in size from small units to massive units for cooling large buildings.
– Air source heat pumps are becoming increasingly common for heating and cooling.
Environmental Impact of Air Conditioning
– As of 2018, 1.6 billion air conditioning units were installed globally.
– Air conditioning accounted for an estimated 20% of electricity usage in buildings.
– The number of air conditioning units is expected to grow to 5.6 billion by 2050.
– The United Nations called for more sustainable air conditioning technology.
– CFC and HCFC refrigerants used in air conditioners have caused damage to the ozone layer.
Passive Air Conditioning Techniques
– Ancient Egyptian buildings used a wide variety of passive air-conditioning techniques.
– Passive techniques remained widespread until the 20th century.
– Passive techniques are being revived and modified for 21st-century architectural designs.
Early Discoveries and Experiments Related to Air Conditioning
– In 1558, Giambattista della Porta described a method of chilling ice.
– In 1620, Cornelis Drebbel demonstrated Turning Summer into Winter.
– Francis Bacon described an experiment of artificial freezing.
– In 1758, Benjamin Franklin and John Hadley conducted an experiment on evaporation.
– In 1820, Michael Faraday discovered that compressing and liquefying ammonia could chill air. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_conditioning
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Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling the humidity of internal air. Air conditioning can be achieved using a mechanical 'air conditioner' or alternatively a variety of other methods, including passive cooling and ventilative cooling. Air conditioning is a member of a family of systems and techniques that provide heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC). Heat pumps are similar in many ways to air conditioners, but use a reversing valve to allow them both to heat and to cool an enclosed space.
Air conditioners, which typically use vapor-compression refrigeration, range in size from small units used within vehicles or single rooms to massive units that can cool large buildings. Air source heat pumps, which can be used for heating as well as cooling, are becoming increasingly common in cooler climates.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), as of 2018, 1.6 billion air conditioning units were installed, which accounted for an estimated 20% of electricity usage in buildings globally with the number expected to grow to 5.6 billion by 2050. The United Nations called for the technology to be made more sustainable to mitigate climate change and for the use of alternatives, like passive cooling, evaporative cooling, selective shading, windcatchers, and better thermal insulation. CFC and HCFC refrigerants such as R-12 and R-22, respectively, used within air conditioners have caused damage to the ozone layer, and HFC refrigerants such as R-410a and R-404a, which were designed to replace CFCs and HCFCs, are instead exacerbating climate change. Both issues happen due to the venting of refrigerant to the atmosphere, such as during repairs. HFO refrigerants, used in some if not most new equipment, solve both issues with an ozone damage potential (ODP) of zero and a much lower global warming potential (GWP) in the single or double digits vs. the three or four digits of HFCs.
