The ratio of the energy produced by an air conditioner to the energy consumed by the network is called the energy efficiency factor. This is a defining characteristic of an air conditioner.
In school textbooks such relation is called coefficient of efficiency coefficient of performance and by definition it should be less than one.
Four to one – and this is not the limit
The advanced kind of such technology supposes a double sensor, which, besides the presence of people, also detects the degree of their activity and depending on these data changes the temperature of environment.
For example, an active person needs more cooling in hot weather and less heating in cool weather.
Conversely, a person at rest requires normal heating, but intense cooling is not necessary. By changing the capacity of operation in each of these cases, an air conditioner essentially reduces the energy consumption. An example of technology can be the latest generation of Panasonic air conditioners.
You want to save the electric energy? Give it up!
Back in 2004 there appeared the conditioners, produced by Japanese company Sanyo, which do not need electricity.
GHP indexed air conditioners use internal combustion engine powered by gas as compressor driver. GHP stands for “Gas Heat Pump”. It is a very economical variant.
First, gas is much cheaper than electricity, and second, with a gas engine, about half of the energy invested can be recovered and put back into use by using the waste heat from the engine combustion chamber.
And external block of such conditioner, while producing coolness, can heat up big amount of hot water simultaneously taking the functions of water heater too.
There are even air conditioners with solar panels, but they are exotic at the moment.
How can we maximize the energy efficiency of air conditioners to combat the hot summer temperatures effectively? Are there any alternative cooling technologies that are more environmentally friendly?