Types of Air Conditioning Systems

written by: Haresh Khemani • edited by: Lamar Stonecypher • updated: 1/31/2013

An HVAC designer will recommend different types of air conditioning systems for different applications. The most commonly used are described in
this article.
 The choice of which air conditioner system to use depends upon a number of factors including how large the area is to be cooled, the total heat
generated inside the enclosed area, etc. An HVAC designer would consider all the related parameters and suggest the system most suitable for your
space.

 Window Air Conditioner

Window air conditioneris the most commonly used air conditioner for single rooms. In this air conditioner all the components, namely the
compressor, condenser, expansion valve or coil, evaporator and cooling coil are enclosed in a single box. This unit is fitted in a slot made in the wall
of the room, or more commonly a window sill.
Must Read: Parts of Window Air Conditioners

 Split Air Conditioner

The split air conditioner comprises of two parts: the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. The outdoor unit, fitted outside the room, houses components
like the compressor, condenser and expansion valve. The indoor unit comprises the evaporator or cooling coil and the cooling fan. For this unit you
don’t have to make any slot in the wall of the room. Further, present day split units have aesthetic appeal and do not take up as much space as a
window unit. A split air conditioner can be used to cool one or two rooms.
Must read:
1) Parts of Split Air Conditioners
2) Installation of Split Air Conditioners

 Packaged Air Conditioner

An HVAC designer will suggest this type of air conditioner if you want to cool more than two rooms or a larger space at your home or office. There
are two possible arrangements with the package unit. In the first one, all the components, namely the compressor, condenser (which can be air cooled
or water cooled), expansion valve and evaporator are housed in a single box. The cooled air is thrown by the high capacity blower, and it flows
through the ducts laid through various rooms. In the second arrangement, the compressor and condenser are housed in one casing. The compressed
gas passes through individual units, comprised of the expansion valve and cooling coil, located in various rooms.

Must read:

1) Packaged Air Conditioners - Types of Packaged AC

2) Compressors and Capacity Control System in the Packaged Air Conditioners

 Central Air Conditioning System

Central air conditioning is used for cooling big buildings, houses, offices, entire hotels, gyms, movie theaters, factories etc. If the whole building is to
be air conditioned, HVAC engineers find that putting individual units in each of the rooms is very expensive making this a better option. A central air
conditioning system is comprised of a huge compressor that has the capacity to produce hundreds of tons of air conditioning. Cooling big halls,
malls, huge spaces, galleries etc is usually only feasible with central conditioning units.

Must Read:
1) Central Air Conditioning Plants
2) Direct Expansion or DX Type of Central Air Conditioning Plant
3) Chilled Water Type of Central Air Conditioning Plant


TYPES OF AIR CONDITIONERS

There are various types of air conditioners like window air conditioner, split air conditioner, packaged air conditioner and central air
conditioning system. This series of articles describes all types of air conditioners.
1. Types of Air Conditioning Systems
2. Window Air Conditioning System
3. Split Air Conditioner System
4. Central Air Conditioning Plants
5. Packaged Air Conditioners - Types of Packaged AC

Types of Cooling Systems

Air conditioning, or cooling, is more complicated than heating. Instead of using energy to create heat, air conditioners use energy to take heat away.

The most common air conditioning system uses a compressor cycle (similar to the one used by your refrigerator) to transfer heat from your house to

the outdoors.

Picture your house as a refrigerator. There is a compressor on the outside filled with a special fluid called a refrigerant. This fluid can change back

and forth between liquid and gas. As it changes, it absorbs or releases heat, so it is used to “carry” heat from one place to another, such as from the

inside of the refrigerator to the outside. Simple, right?

Well, no. And the process gets quite a bit more complicated with all the controls and valves involved. But its effect is remarkable. An air conditioner

takes heat from a cooler place and dumps it in a warmer place, seemingly working against the laws of physics. What drives the process, of course, is

electricity — quite a lot of it, in fact.

Types of Cooling Systems

Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps

Central air conditioners and heat pumps are designed to cool the entire house. In each system, a large compressor unit located outside drives the

process; an indoor coil filled with refrigerant cools air that is then distributed throughout the house via ducts. Heat pumps are like central air

conditioners, except that the cycle can be reversed and used for heating during the winter months. (Heat pumps are described in more detail in

the heating section.) With a central air conditioner, the same duct system is used with a furnace for forced warm-air heating. In fact, the central air

conditioner typically uses the furnace fan to distribute air to the ducts.

Central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps operating in the cooling mode have been rated according to their seasonal energy efficiency ratio

(SEER) since 1992. SEER is the seasonal cooling output in Btu divided by the seasonal energy input in watt-hours for an “average” U.S. climate.

Before 1992, different metrics were used, but the performance of many older central air conditioners was equivalent to SEER ratings of only 6 or 7.

The average central air conditioner sold in 1988 had a SEER-equivalent of about 9; by 2002 it had risen to 11.1.The national efficiency standard for

central air conditioners and air source heat pumps now requires a minimum SEER of 13 (since 2006), and to qualify for ENERGY STAR requires a
SEER of 14.5 or higher. Central air conditioners also come with an energy efficiency ratio (EER) rating, which indicates performance at higher

temperatures. ENERGY STAR-qualified models must meet an EER requirement of 12.

Air conditioners and heat pumps use the refrigerant cycle to transfer heat between an inside unit and an outside uint. Heat pumps differ from air

conditioners only in the special valve that allows the cycle to reverse, providing either warm or cool air to the inside.

New efficiency standards for central air conditioners take effect in 2015. As with furnaces, the new standards will differ by region, with greater

stringency in the South and Southwest than in the North. New central air conditioners sold for installation in the South and Southwest must meet a

minimum 14 SEER; for units installed in the North, the 13 SEER minimum remains unchanged. Air-source heat pumps must meet the 14 SEER

minimum regardless of where they are installed. In addition, central air conditioners installed in the hot, dry Southwest must meet a minimum 12.2

EER (or 11.7 EER for larger models).

In contrast, cooling performance of ground source heat pumps is measured by the steady state EER instead of a seasonal measure. The ENERGY

STAR program’s minimum requirements for ground-source heat pumps are 21.1 EER for open-loop systems, 17.1 EER for closed-loop systems, and

16 EER for direct expansion (DX) units.

Room Air Conditioners

Room air conditioners are available for mounting in windows or through walls, but in each case they work the same way, with the compressor

located outside. Room air conditioners are sized to cool just one room, so a number of them may be required for a whole house. Individual units cost

less to buy than central systems.

Room air conditioners are rated only by the EER, which is cooling output divided by power consumption. The higher the EER, the more efficient the

air conditioner. Revised federal minimum efficiency standards for room air conditioners adopted in 2011 will take effect in June 2014; revised

ENERGY STAR requirements will take effect in October 2013. Table 5.2 lists requirements for units with louvered sides—the most common type.

Federal Standard min EER ENERGY STAR min EER

Capacity (Btu/Hr) as of Oct. 2014 as of Oct. 2014 As of July 2017

less than 6,000 11.0 11.2 12.1

6,000 ro 7,999 11.0 11.2 12.1

8,000 to 13,999 10.9 11.3 12.0

14,000 to 19,999 10.7 11.2 11.8

20,000 to 24,999 9.4 9.8 10.3

25,000 or higher 9.0 9.8 9.9

Evaporative Coolers

Evaporative coolers, sometimes called swamp coolers, are less common than vapor compression (refrigerant) air conditioners, but they are a practical

alternative in very dry areas, such as the Southwest. They work by pulling fresh outside air through moist pads where the air is cooled by

evaporation. The cooler air is then circulated through a house. This process is very similar to the experience of feeling cold when you get out of a

swimming pool in the breeze. An evaporative cooler can lower the temperature of outside air by as much as 30 degrees.

They can save as much as 75% on cooling costs during the summer because the only mechanical component that uses electricity is the fan. Plus,

because the technology is simpler, it can also cost much less to purchase than a central air conditioner — often about half.

A direct evaporative cooler adds moisture to a house, which could be considered a benefit in very dry climates. An indirect evaporative cooler is a

little different in that the evaporation of water takes place on one side of a heat exchanger. House air is forced across the other side of the heat

exchanger where it cools off but does not pick up moisture. Both types begin to lose their effectiveness with increasing humidity, because humid air

is less able to carry additional moisture.

For evaporative coolers to do their job, they must be the right size. The cooling capacity of an evaporative cooler is measured not in the amount of

heat it can remove (Btu), but in the fan pressure required to circulate the cool air throughout the house, in cubic feet per minute (cfm). A good rule is

to figure the cubic square footage of your house and divide by 2. For example, a 1,500-square-foot house with 8-foot-high ceilings would require a

6,000 cfm cooler.

Ductless Mini-Split Air Conditioners

Mini-split systems, very popular in other countries, can be an attractive retrofit option for room additions and for houses without ductwork, such as

those using hydronic heat (see the heating section). Like conventional central air conditioners, mini-splits use an outside compressor/condenser and

indoor air handling units. The difference is that each room or zone to be cooled has its own air handler. Each indoor unit is connected to the outdoor

unit via a conduit carrying the power and refrigerant lines. Indoor units are typically mounted on the wall or ceiling.
The major advantage of a ductless mini-split is its flexibility in cooling individual rooms or zones. By providing dedicated units to each space, it is

easier to meet the varying comfort needs of different rooms.

By avoiding the use of ductwork, ductless mini-splits also avoid energy losses associated with central forced-air systems.

The primary disadvantage of mini-splits is cost. They cost much more than a typical central air conditioner of the same size, where ductwork is

already in place. But, when considering the cost and energy losses associated with installing new ductwork for a central air conditioner, buying a

ductless mini-split may not be such a bad deal, especially considering the long-term energy savings. Talk with your contractor about what option

would be most cost-effective for you.

State of the Art Cooling

Night Breeze is a new home climate control technology designed to save energy in hot, dry climates. It is essentially a powered whole-house fan, air

conditioner, and indirect water heater integrated under one control system. In the summer, the system draws in as much cool outdoor air as possible

to meet cooling needs — the air conditioner only kicks on if absolutely necessary. In the winter, a water-to-air heat exchanger extending from the

water heater supplies warm air to the system.

Contact: Davis Energy Group(link is external)

Also appropriate for dry climates, the Coolerado Cooler is an evaporative cooling technology that is 100% indirect. It can offer four to six tons of

cooling with an energy consumption of 1,200 watts. Its energy efficiency ratio (EER) is 40 or higher, making it two to three times as efficient as the

best conventional air conditioners.

Contact: Coolerado, LLC(link is external)

Thermal Energy Storage is a technology that is best for simply shifting energy use from peak to off-peak hours. It works by storing energy in ice —

at night, electricity is used to freeze water, and during the day, the ice can cool air that is circulated throughout the house. Most cost-effective for

people who live in climates that cool off at night and pay more for peak electricity use (e.g., in California), this technology is now available for

residential use.

Contact: Ice Energy, LLC

1. Window Air Conditioner: This type of unit is designed to cool a single room. In this air conditioner all the components,
namely the compressor, condenser, expansion valve or coil, evaporator and cooling coil are enclosed in a single box. This
unit sits in the window. Because of this, it is not the most aesthetically pleasing option available. But if you are looking to cool
a single room, it is the most cost-effective option around.
2. Split Air Conditioner: This unit is comprised of two parts: the outdoor, which houses the compressor, condenser and
expansion valve; and the indoor, which is comprised of the evaporator coil and cooling fan. The split air conditioner can be
used to cool one or two rooms.
3. Packaged Air Conditioner: This type of unit is perfect for cooling multiple rooms or a large space in your home or office.
There are two possible arrangements with the package unit. In the first one, all the components, namely the compressor,
condenser (which can be air cooled or water cooled), expansion valve and evaporator are housed in a single box. The
cooled air is thrown by the high capacity blower, and it flows through the ducts laid through various rooms. In the second
arrangement, the compressor and condenser are housed in one casing. The compressed gas passes through individual
units, comprised of the expansion valve and cooling coil, located in various rooms.
4. Central Air Conditioning System: This unit is used primarily to cool big buildings, houses, offices, entire hotels, factories, etc.
The central air conditioning system is comprised of a huge compressor that has the capacity to produce hundreds of tons
of air conditioning. If you have a big area to cool, central air conditioning may be the only way to go.
So now that you are well versed on each of the four main types of air conditioning units, you are ready to call a cooling
professional to talk about your options. Make sure you ask plenty of questions and tell your professional exactly what you
are trying to accomplish (how many rooms you need cooled, how big these rooms are, whether you live in a townhouse or
full-size home, etc.). The more information they have, the better they will be able to assist you. Remember, a well-informed
customer normally gets what they want/need the first time around.