If you're looking for a powerful industrial cooling fan, because perhaps the area is too large to cool with a portable air conditioner then you need to think carefully about what to buy. Many fans on sale from online shops look powerful, and look big but can only be felt if you're standing right next to them.
The key things to look for are multiple impellers, if it's only got 3 blades, it's going to be a very weak fan, look for at least 5 blades. Look at the wattage of the motor, if it's less than 150W then it's not going to be very powerful.
This video shows you the difference between a good and a bad fan. Both of them look powerful and industrial... Until you turn them on!
Showing posts with label portable air conditioner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label portable air conditioner. Show all posts
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
The difference between a fixed and a portable air conditioner
The process of refrigeration is very simple. A compressor sucks in refrigerant gas at low pressure, and then pumps it out into a section of pipe that ends in a restrictive nozzle, forcing it back into a liquid in the high pressure side, and forcing it back into a gas in the low pressure side. The properties of refrigerant are such that it absorbs heat while at low pressure and gives off heat at high pressure - effecively removing the heat energy from one point and depositing it in another.
This is simple to imagine in a fixed air conditioner, the compressor sits outside and the high pressure part runs throughout the outdoor unit, and the low pressure pipework connects the compressor to the indoor unit. If they are run in heat mode a reversing valve means the compressor runs in the same direction, but the refrigerant is pumped the opposite way around the circuit.
In a monobloc portable air conditioner, it works essentially in the same way. Except the outdoor and indoor unit are contianed within one box. Half of the box is the indoor and half is the outdoor. The pipe circuit is more or less the same, except it is contained within a smaller area - each half has an air intake, so the unit has two grills which are sucking air in, and each half has an outlet - the indoor outlet which simply recirculates into the room, and the outdoor outlet which pushes air down a duct to the outdoors.
The downside of this is that it creates a slight negative pressure in the room where the machine is operating, therefore pulling warm air through doors, vent holes and any gaps which are not air tight.
A more efficient option is the water cooled split portable air conditioner which uses water transfer the heat much like a fixed installation. This therefore recirculates 100% of the air which passes through the indoor unit and does not create the negative pressure, giving more efficiency.
This is simple to imagine in a fixed air conditioner, the compressor sits outside and the high pressure part runs throughout the outdoor unit, and the low pressure pipework connects the compressor to the indoor unit. If they are run in heat mode a reversing valve means the compressor runs in the same direction, but the refrigerant is pumped the opposite way around the circuit.
In a monobloc portable air conditioner, it works essentially in the same way. Except the outdoor and indoor unit are contianed within one box. Half of the box is the indoor and half is the outdoor. The pipe circuit is more or less the same, except it is contained within a smaller area - each half has an air intake, so the unit has two grills which are sucking air in, and each half has an outlet - the indoor outlet which simply recirculates into the room, and the outdoor outlet which pushes air down a duct to the outdoors.
The downside of this is that it creates a slight negative pressure in the room where the machine is operating, therefore pulling warm air through doors, vent holes and any gaps which are not air tight.
A more efficient option is the water cooled split portable air conditioner which uses water transfer the heat much like a fixed installation. This therefore recirculates 100% of the air which passes through the indoor unit and does not create the negative pressure, giving more efficiency.
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Portable Air Conditioner or Fixed Air Conditioner?
The first question to consider when looking for air conditioning, is whether to purchase a fixed air conditioner or a portable air conditioner.
For rented properties or offices, you must consult the landlord and get permission to have a fixed system fitted. The fitting requires some destructive work and brings certain legislation and documentation into play which is ever increasing. I won't list the rules and regulations here, as they are changing constantly and getting tighter and more rigorous as time goes by. Even if you own the building the on-going cost of meeting current legislation is a valid concern.
If the landlord is happy to have it fitted then the next consideration is whether or not the cost is justified. It is possible to move air conditioning systems, however it is expensive, it can cost more than the purchase of the equipment in extreme cases.
The advantages of fixed systems is that they tend to take up no floor space, whether you choose a ceiling cassette or a wall mount. They can be quieter and more efficient. With a portable air conditioner you can get some heat radiated back into the room from the exhaust pipe. You may also have a tank which needs regular emptying as air conditioners pull water out of the air drying as well - this water has to be removed. Some units have the facility to use a hose or similar to pipe the water directly out in the same way that a fixed unit does.
Another critical issue with fixed systems is the location of the outoor unit. These can be a little unsightly and on the fronts of buildings, planning permission may be required, on a busy high street an outdoor unit on the front of the building is unlikely to be passed. An alternative is a monobloc fixed air conditioner which uses an intake and exhaust vent and works in a similar way to a monobloc portable - these require no outdoor unit so may be a good choice where outdoor unit location is a problem.
A key advantage of portable air conditioners is flexibility, you can purchase one to use to cool workers in the office - then transfer it to the server room if one of the fixed units fails. You cam move premises without de-comissioning and re-comissioning the unit, and a new one can be purchased and swapped in if a critical unit fails.
For rented properties or offices, you must consult the landlord and get permission to have a fixed system fitted. The fitting requires some destructive work and brings certain legislation and documentation into play which is ever increasing. I won't list the rules and regulations here, as they are changing constantly and getting tighter and more rigorous as time goes by. Even if you own the building the on-going cost of meeting current legislation is a valid concern.
If the landlord is happy to have it fitted then the next consideration is whether or not the cost is justified. It is possible to move air conditioning systems, however it is expensive, it can cost more than the purchase of the equipment in extreme cases.
The advantages of fixed systems is that they tend to take up no floor space, whether you choose a ceiling cassette or a wall mount. They can be quieter and more efficient. With a portable air conditioner you can get some heat radiated back into the room from the exhaust pipe. You may also have a tank which needs regular emptying as air conditioners pull water out of the air drying as well - this water has to be removed. Some units have the facility to use a hose or similar to pipe the water directly out in the same way that a fixed unit does.
Another critical issue with fixed systems is the location of the outoor unit. These can be a little unsightly and on the fronts of buildings, planning permission may be required, on a busy high street an outdoor unit on the front of the building is unlikely to be passed. An alternative is a monobloc fixed air conditioner which uses an intake and exhaust vent and works in a similar way to a monobloc portable - these require no outdoor unit so may be a good choice where outdoor unit location is a problem.
A key advantage of portable air conditioners is flexibility, you can purchase one to use to cool workers in the office - then transfer it to the server room if one of the fixed units fails. You cam move premises without de-comissioning and re-comissioning the unit, and a new one can be purchased and swapped in if a critical unit fails.
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