Types and Varieties of Modern Air Conditioners

Air conditioners now-a-days have become one of the most important appliances, due to an increase in the temperatures. The excessive heat has made air conditioners necessary for human comfort and is widely being used in:

• Households
• Offices
• Industries
• Malls etc.

Because of the changing environment, the process of air conditioning is being employed, which is the process of removing heat and moisture from the interior of unoccupied space to improve the comfort of occupants.

Air conditioning can be used in both the domestic and commercial environments. This process is most commonly used to achieve a more comfortable interior environment, typically for humans and other animals: however air conditioning is also used to cool and dehumidify rooms filled with heat producing electronic devices.

Air conditioners often use a fan to distribute the conditioned air to occupied space such as a building or a car to improve thermal comfort and indoor air quality. The technology adopted by air conditioners is based on reciprocal cooling structure which intakes of hot and humid air and further cools and dehumidifies it. In the most general sense, conditioning can refer to the any form of technology that modifies the condition of air( heating, de-humidification, cooling, cleaning, ventilation or air movement). In common usage “air conditioning refer to systems which cool air”. WILLIS CARRIER invented the air conditioner in 1902 and from then it is one of the most widely used electronic appliance.
From then, a number of brands that have flourished in the market offering different technologies ranging in their prices and services. Some of them are:

• Daikin
• Panasonic
• Hitachi
• LG
• Toshiba

However, because of it’s excessive use certain environmental damages have been occurred.

• It has led to a phenomenon known as “GLOBAL WARMING” which has led to an increase in the earth's temperature.
• The gas used in “AC fillings” such as:- R-410 A R-22 and others has led to “ozone depletion” and a few other environmental problems.
• It has degraded the Air quality index and the harmful gases released by them, constantly pollutes the air.

AC GAS FILLINGAC gas filling refers to recharge your air conditioner, just as we need food to function, similarly the gas in the air conditioner enables it to perform it's function that is to cool the setting around. Refrigerants is the main element which makes an air conditioner to function. Since last decades, the most common refrigerant gas used in Air conditioning system was R-22(Freon). But as because of many environmental damages such as ozone depletion and global warming such gases have been banned and the use of more sustainable and renewable gases that cause less harm to the environment are being used. R-410A is now being used in the air conditioners and is being now legally approved by the environmental conventions of its lesser environmental damaging capacity and energy efficiency. A few more HFC's that are commonly used are:

• R-32 and
• R-134A

The gas in AC's can prolong depending upon its maintenance and usage. However, annual professional servicing and maintenance is required for air conditioners so that they do not emmit harmful gases in the environment and the gas in the AC also sustains to a greater time. Once gas filled in the AC can last to 10 to 15 years when used with proper care air and proper time slots. Proper cleaning of the AC Windows and filters are also required for their efficient functioning.

Cost of Gas Filling in AC

Cost of filling the gas in AC differs depending upon a number of factors such as:

1. AGE OF AN AIR CONDITIONER - The age of the air conditioner determines the cost of gas filling in it. The more older the air conditioner is the cost of filling the gas is more as the mileage (gas used in cooling) given by the air conditioner would be less than a new air conditioner.
2. BRAND - The brand also determines the cost of gas filling in an air conditioner. The customer care services and other offers that are proposed by a certain brand varies from one company to another.
3. AREA OF USAGE - The cost of gas filling also differs in matters where it is used in households or in commercial industries as industries require a continuous cooling environment.
4. TIME DURATION - The time for which an air conditioner is used also determines the cost of gas filling as greater the time an air conditioner is used, the more it will become energy in-efficient and gas consuming. Therefore, the cost of gas filling will eventually be higher in such air conditioners as compared to those who are used in specific time durations.
5. TYPE OF AIR CONDITIONERS - The type of air conditioner also determines the cost of gas filling in it. Whether it is a split or window AC it hugely forecast the energy consumption and hence the gas consumed by it. Some general statistics of the cost of gas filling has been tabulated below based on the type of air conditioners:

• Window AC gas refill (1.2 ton). - Rs.1499
• Window AC coolant (1.5 ton). - Rs.1999
• Split AC gas refill (1.5 ton). -. Rs.2199
• Split AC gas refill (2ton). -. Rs.2499

However evaporative cooling air conditioners or or those which employee free cooling have a lesser charge of gas filling.SIZE AND CAPACITY The amount also differs according to the size and capacity of the air conditioner and the quantity of gas required. The air conditioners employed in an industrial setup consume a greater quantity of gas and hence the cost of gas filling also increases as compared to those that are used in households.However, gas filling in AC is a simple procedure but needs to be carefully performed as any leakage would amount to exposure to harmful gases which are disastorous for our health. Gas filling should be performed by trained professionals so that no scope of leakage is there. Thus, air conditioners have to be maintained and serviced timely with proper gas filling so that they are energy efficient and works smoothly and also works on safe environmental guidelines so that the environment does not gets polluted.