A Brief History Of The Air Conditioner
Most of us, by habit, switch on the air conditioner and relax in the chilled air emitted by it, after returning home from office during the summer season. This multifunctional gadget, apart from cooling the air inside the room to a predetermined temperature, acts as a dehumidifier, and traps microscopic particles of dust present in the air too. If the gadget malfunctions, we contact companies that provide HVAC services, to repair it. However, how many of us try to find out the history of the air conditioner?
The Experiment
From times immemorial, human beings have tried various methods to keep themselves cool during the summer season. They have included cross ventilation while designing their apartments, to allow wind to flow and cool the interiors of their rooms. This was a natural way to keep the room cool. In 1758, John Hadley and Benjamin Franklin conducted an experiment, which confirmed that rapid evaporation of highly volatile liquids like ether and alcohol could bring down the temperature of an object below the freezing point of water. Using this method, they were able to bring down the temperature of an object from 64 degrees to seven degrees Fahrenheit.
The First Air Conditioner
The credit of creating the first cooling apparatus goes to Dr. John Gorrie. In the 1830s, this Apalachicola based physician designed an apparatus that chilled the air in hospital rooms by flowing air from a fan across a container filled with ice. Although this device lowered the room temperature, it increased the humidity levels of the air. Several decades passed before Wills Carrier, an employee of the Buffalo Forge Company, designed and built the first electrical air conditioner in 1902.
Wills Carrier’s device, apart from cooling the temperature of the room, dehumidified the air as well. The first generation air conditioners used toxic and inflammable gases like propane as refrigerants. Apart from being dangerous, these gases were dangerous for the environment too. The second generation models used nontoxic and nonflammable refrigerants like chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC). However, some of these refrigerants, particularly CFC, is not environmental friendly; they can damage the ozone layer of our planet’s stratosphere. The latest generation air conditioners use environment friendly refrigerants that contain a hydrocarbon mixture of isobutane and isopentane.
Unlike the past, when all the models available were window based, one can now opt for
split ACs including those that incorporate inverter technology (the speed of the compressor increases or decreases depending on the requirement). While modern AC machines are quite safe, you should never attempt to repair them. Instead, contact specialists that provide professional HVAC services.
Are you dealing with an air conditioner that isn’t running in tiptop shape? Fortunately, R.F. Ohl specializes in the maintenance of AC systems and we can conduct an AC tuneup for you at a discount price. We guarantee our work and can maintain any system, regardless of who installed it. Keep cool this summer by calling us and speaking with a live representative 24/7.
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Contact us today or give us a call at (610) 377-1098 if you have any questions.