Types of Air Conditioners – A Thomas Buying Guide

Air conditioners or ACs, remove heat and moisture from the interior of a space. Air conditioners are used in both domestic and commercial environments. They’re usually used to create a more comfortable interior environment, typically for humans. Sometimes, however, rooms filled with heat-producing electronic devices, such as computer servers, use air conditioners to cool and dehumidify and to store some delicate products, such as artwork.

Air conditioner units generally use a fan to distribute the cool air to the occupied space. Electric refrigerant-based AC units range in size from small bedroom units to colossal units installed on the roof of office towers that are used to cool the entire building. ACs usually use a refrigeration cycle, but sometimes evaporation or free cooling is used to cool air. Air conditioning systems can also use desiccants, which are chemicals which remove moisture from the air.

Air conditioners are an often essential part of what is known as an HVAC system, which stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. This article looks at the different types of air conditioners and their applications.