Air Conditioning Learning Center
Both heating and air conditioning work on the principle that heat always moves from a warm object to a cooler one, just as water flows from a higher to a lower level. Air conditioners remove heat to make your home cooler by use of a compressor.
The Cooling Process
A nonflammable gas, known as Freon, undergoes an evaporation process again and again within most refrigerators in order to keep the temperature low. The same cycle is used for air conditioners. This is how it works: First, a compressor in your air conditioner compresses cold Freon gas. A small amount of oil is combined with the Freon gas to lubricate the compressor. When the Freon gas is compressed, its pressure rises, making it very hot. Next, the hot Freon gas moves through a series of coils, which has the effect of lowering its heat and converting it to liquid. The Freon liquid then flows through an expansion valve, which causes it to cool down until it evaporates. The result is low-pressure Freon gas. The cold gas is then channeled through another set of coils. This allows the gas to absorb heat and lower the air inside the room or building.
Definitions & Terms
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE): A measure of a furnace’s heating efficiency. The higher the AFUE%, the more efficient the product.
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF): A measure of a heat pump’s heating efficiency. The higher the HSPF, the more efficient the product.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER): A measure of an air conditioner’s cooling efficiency. The SEER rating of a unit is the cooling output of the system during a typical cooling season divided by the total electric energy used in that same period. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the product.
AHRI: Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute.
Inverter: Energy saving technology that eliminates wasted operation in air conditioners by efficiently controlling motor speed. In inverter type heat pumps, temperature is adjusted by changing motor speed without turning the motor ON and OFF. This can result in a 30% savings in energy.
Split System: Your typical house has components that are located inside and outside — literally split into two pieces. You may have also heard it referred to as “central air.” Consisting of an outdoor unit with a condenser and compressor and an indoor unit with a fan and an evaporator coil, a split air conditioning system works by removing warm air from your home and cycling it back as cooler air through a system of supply and return ducts.
VRV: Daikin invented Variable Refrigerant Volume technology in 1982, revolutionizing the HVAC market. VRV technology delivers individualized comfort control with substantial savings over typical “on/off” systems. Breakthrough innovations such as VRV Heat Recovery enhance comfort and versatility even further, providing simultaneous heating and cooling in different zones from one system, and heat recovery from one zone to another, essentially providing “free heat”.
