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Air Conditioning Types

The task of buying an air conditioning system for the first time can be baffling. To help,
the following is a brief guide to the different air conditioning types that use refrigerant to
move heat energy from inside to outside.  There are other types generically called
chillers, which use water for the same purpose, however we will not cover chillers on
this guide. 
Air Conditioning Types – Typical Capacity Ranges
Like many types of equipment, air conditioning is often split into groups which described
by suitability to different users for instance residential, domestic, commercial, office and
industrial. These groupings generally indicate the units size, capability and robustness,
rather than how the air conditioner functions. As a rough  guide the following table
indicates the typical capacity ranges to these generic groups.
Air conditioner  –  Cooling Capacity in Cooling Capacity in
User type BTU kw

Residential /
6000 – 20000  1.76 – 5.8
domestic, 

commercial / office 12000 – 50000 3.5 – 14.65

Industrial 30000 –  8.79 –

Air Conditioning Types – The Main Groups

Air conditioners fall into one of three major groups; they are either  monoblock, i.e units
consisting of one block (window, portable, etc.) or they are split-systems which have an
element for inside and a separate but linked element for outside the building, or they are
multi-split where for a single outdoor element there are 2 or more linked internal
elements. 
Monoblock Air Conditioners
The operation of an air conditioner basically revolves round the flow of refrigerant from
one set of coils where it collects heat to a second set of coils where it disperses heat. In
monoblock air conditioners the two sets of coils are combined in the same body shell.
The units are designed to be located inside the building, however they always have an
air pipe to link to outside so that the heated air can be dispersed to outside. 

PORTABLE OR MOBILE AIR CONDITIONERS

Perhaps the most familiar air conditioner to most consumers,
these units do not require special mounting but do come with
a flexible air pipe which is routed through a window or hole in
the wall. Generally the diameter of the air pipe is about 5″ and
the pipes are about 2 – 3 m long. The air conditioner
discharges hot through this pipe when in use. Because the
compressor is located inside the unit rather than in the case
of split units, in an external element, the mobile monoblock air
conditioners have the disadvantage of being quite noisy and
limited in capacity.  On the other hand they do not require
installation and are these days relatively cheap to buy. 
Mobile monoblock air Although there are numerous mobile air conditioners on the
conditioning
market, the vast majority are small units either 9000 or 12000
btu, we only sell mobile units larger than 10000 btu, simply
  because for the vast majority of applications 9000 btu models
are just too small.

FLOOR MOUNTED AIR CONDITIONERS

Floor mounted monoblock air conditioners are installed
against the wall in the same way a storage heater is and they
are typically of a similar appearance and size to storage
heaters. These type of air conditioners usually have a heat
pump facility, thus providing very cost-effective heating in
Floor mounted colder months. These air conditioners typically have 2 air
monoblock air pipes which lead directly from the rear of the unit,  through the
conditioner wall, where the ends are usually capped with small louvres
 
 WALL MOUNTED AIR CONDITIONERS 
Some times called high wall air conditioners, wall mounted
monoblock air conditioning is a neat solution to older buildings
where planning does not permit the installation of an external
condenser unit. The wall mounted monoblock air
conditioner attaches high on the wall and two air pipes are
routed from the back directly through the wall. The
Wall mounted disadvantage of these air conditioners is that they are slightly
monoblock air larger in-depth compared to split wall mounted unit as the
conditioning condenser is contained inside the wall mount unit. They
usually feature a heat pump so that air can be heated in
winter as well as cooled in summer.

SPOT COOLERS (INDUSTRIAL MOBILES)

Spot cooling can be provided by these large mobile
monoblock air conditioners. They are heavily build, powerful
and designed to be wheeled to ships, boats and aircraft to
provide temporary cooling to the internal air. Spot coolers can
also be used to provide cool air to industrial processes. Unlike
small portable air conditioners, spot coolers are designed to
be located in the warm outside air and to provide cool air into
Industrial mobile aka
areas that they themselves do not occupy. Most have
‘spot cooler’
capacity to deliver cold air via a number of ducts to exactly
  where the air is required. The snout pipes that are typically
fitted to the front of these units are rigid but adjustable,
  enabling the flow of cold air to be directed to a preset spot.

WINDOW AIR CONDITIONERS

Window air conditioners or window rattlers as they are
referred to by the trade, used to be the most widespread
configuration of air conditioner. They are almost standard in
Window air conditioner apartments, houses, offices and cabins in Mediterranean
countries and the Middle East.  The basic ones can only chill
  the air, the more expensive have a heat pump mode and a
remote-control. Main disadvantages of window air-
conditioners are increased noise and necessity of mounting
into the window opening or more usually through a narrow
wall. On the plus side they are reasonably priced and easy to
fit. Window air conditioners are sometimes known as ‘thro the
wall air conditioners’, although they generally can not be
mounted in a wall any thicker than 9″ because then the
additional depth of wall impinges and blocks the air flow from
the side vents of the units on the outside.  Several of our
customers find it much cheaper long-term to run and replace
 window air conditioners, that to install and maintain split
systems.
New European efficiency regulations that took effect in 2013,
mean that many manufacturers have stopped manufacturing
this type of air conditioner, and stocks of units made before
the regulations took effect are now gone. The market was
almost free of window air conditioners for about 2 years and
now there are some machines on the market which are
compliant with the new ErP regulations.
 
Split Air Conditioning 
There are a number of air conditioning types that can be described as ‘split’. Split air
conditioners consist of an outer and inner components which are connected by an
electric cable and two copper pipes along which the refrigerant flows to and from the
internal and external components.  The noisiest and bulkiest part of the air conditioner
which contains the compressor  is outside whilst the internal component is much lighter
and quieter and can be placed (depending in the design), in almost any part of the
inside air space. 
Modern split air conditioning systems are equipped with remote control, and usually are
equipped with a heat pump facility for heating in the winter months. The combination of
sophisticated controls and a heat pump means that the internal air spaces can
effectively be ‘climate controlled’ by modern split air conditioning systems keeping the
room temperature to within 1-2 degrees of the temperature setting. Most split air
conditioning systems now have a number of control modes and timers so that the
operation of the unit can be pre programmed in considerable detail. Even the direction
and swing operation of the discharge louvers can usually be set. On the indoor
component there is always a coarse air filter to protect the coils from large particles and
often there are also fine filters and air purification equipment built in to remove fine dust,
tobacco smoke, plant pollen, odours and chemical pollutants, etc.
WALL MOUNTED AIR CONDITIONER – ENGINEER FIT
Wall mounted split air conditioners come a variety of styles,
capacities and levels of functionality. The units are engineer fit where
there is no interconnecting quick connection pipes supplied with the
air conditioner, which means that the installation of the wall unit and
outside condenser is bespoke to building. Although the installation of
these air conditioners is quite expensive, the benefit is that the
installation is neat and exact to the building which inevitably raises
the building’s resale value.
There is a far greater variety of engineer fit wall mounted air conditioners
on the market compared to ‘easy fit’ types, therefore a wider choice of
capacities, functionality and aesthetics. Wall mounted air conditioners are
typically mounted at a high level (above head height) and can come with
several operating modes, including heat pump, timer functionality, remote
control and air purification features. Although we sell this type of air
conditioner system we don’t list them on our website. Phone us for help
0845 688 0112
  

WALL MOUNTED AIR CONDITIONER – EASY FIT

In contrast to the engineer fit air conditioners the ‘easy fit’ ones are
supplied with the interconnecting pipework and cable in a plastic
sheath or ‘umbilical cord’ which has a quick connect end. The
system including the pipe is pre-charged with refrigerant and is
designed so that the unit can be installed be an electrician or even
by someone competent in DIY.
However, recent changes in regulations require that these now
require fitting by a qualified refrigeration engineer. This change has
meant that the choice of this type of split air conditioner has
diminished, basically because if it has to be fitted by a refrigeration
engineer, then they actually work out more expensive than an
engineer fit machine of the type described above. This type of
‘Easy fit’ split machine will probably disappear altogether from the market in the
air conditioner. next year or so.
Regulations All easy fit split air conditioners have a common drawback in that the
now require ‘umbilical cord’ is a fixed length. This means that either it is too long
that these air and the excess length has to be ‘lost’ in the routing of the piping or
conditioning
that it is too short for the particular application intended. Before
buying one of these type of air conditioners, ensure that the specified
types are fitted
pipe length will be suitable for your application.
by a
refrigeration
engineer.
 

CEILING CASSETTE AIR CONDITIONER

Commonplace in offices with suspended ceilings, the ceiling cassette
air conditioner, sometimes known as a cartridge air conditioner, is
usually designed to be fitted within a one or two ceiling tile spaces.
Ceiling cassette The bulk of the unit is unseen as it is above the ceiling line and the
only visible part is the decorative lower facing with its central inlet
air conditioner
grille and 4 edge outlet louvers. The main advantage of these units is
aesthetics, but also that a centrally mounted unit can deliver an
increased cooling (or heating) capacity across a wide area because
of the air being distributed in 4 directions. Typically, a single ceiling
cassette air conditioner can do the same job as 3 or 4 wall mounted
Ceiling units. 
 There is another type of ceiling air conditioner, which is
an under ceiling air conditioner These are used where there is no
suspended ceiling to install a cassette and where there is sufficient
ceiling height to suspend an under ceiling unit. As these are
designed to be entirely within  a room, they are made to be
suspended air reasonably aesthetic, however, the under ceiling air conditioners do
conditioner inevitably look like overly cumbersome items to hang from a ceiling.
     Generally they are designed to lift air vertically into the unit and
discharge treated air horizontally along the ceiling avoiding direct
discharge directly onto occupants, and some allow air discharge
from four sides. 
Although we sell this type of air conditioner system we don’t list them
on our website. Phone us for help 0845 688 0112

FLOOR MOUNTED AIR CONDITIONER

Floor mounted split air conditioners can really be subdivided in to two
types. Firstly column air conditioners which are large, high-
capacity units (up to around 45000 BTU) used where a large room  is
to be cooled and where there may be building reasons why several
smaller outlets cannot be used. Typical applications include lobbies,
reception and waiting areas. The high output of these air
conditioners means that they produce a strong flow of  cool air which
does not allow occupants to be in close proximity to the air
conditioner. 
Secondly, there are smaller cabinet style air conditioners which are far
smaller, more like the dimensions of a storage heater than a tall upright
freezer dimensions of a column air conditioner. Typically their rated
capacities are up to about 15000BTU, and they are ideal for providing high-
Column air efficiency climate control to new extensions and conservatories. These both
conditioner types of air conditioners are typically installed by refrigeration engineers as
they do not usually have quick connect pipes, therefore the pipe work and
cabling between the inside and outside elements is installed  bespoke to the
building and then the system is charged with refrigerant. 
Although we sell this type of air conditioner system we don’t list them
on our website. Phone us for help 0845 688 0112

Floor mounted
cabinet air
conditioner

  DUCT MOUNTED  AIR CONDITIONER

Where a building has a ducted air system, duct mounted air
conditioning is usually the preferred option. As the ducting is usually
 hidden in the ceiling voids, then so to is the duct mounted air
conditioning system. Sometimes known as channel or central air-
conditioners they also have the advantage of being capable of
delivering conditioned air to a number of rooms, depending on the air
duct layout. Because these air conditioners work within duct
systems, they usually have the facility of cooling fresh air or a blend
of fresh and recirculated air, depending on the layout and control of
Duct mounted
the air delivery system. This type of air conditioning is common in
air conditioner
applications where there are a number of different rooms or zones or
even separate premises to be cooled. 
Although we sell this type of air conditioner system we don’t list them on
our website. Phone us for help 0845 688 0112

  PORTABLE OR MOBILE AIR CONDITIONERS

Portable split air conditioners offer the possibility or higher cooling
capacity that similar size monoblocks and rated capacities for this
type of air conditioner can be as high as 16000 BTU.  The design
typically has a plastic sheathed ‘umbilical cord’ containing the
electrical line and the refrigerant pipes, one end of which will typically
Split mobile air have a quick connect facility. This means that the connection
conditioner between the two parts of the system can be broken to allow easy
installation so that a pipe end rather than the complete external
  element can be passed through a window or hole in a wall. Mobile
split air conditioners have the obvious advantage that they are easy
to move and set up in a new room, although by putting the outside
unit on mounting brackets and the umbilical cord through a drilled
hole in the wall, these air conditioners can used for ”semi-permanent’
installation.
Larger portable splits are our speciality. Rather than have refrigerant lines
Water filled the connection between the inside part and the outside is flow and return
split mobile air water lines. This means that although there is refrigerant in the outside bit, it
conditioner is self-contained and factory sealed. The inside end is little more than a coil
and fan in a box, with controls. The largest capacity unit of this type is
  about 50000btu, 15kw. Larger capacities are possible but the type of
equipment goes on to modular chillers and air handling units.
Multi Split Air Conditioning 
These air conditioning systems are essentially the same as the split systems except that there
are a number of indoor units linked to the same external unit. This type of air conditioning
system invariably requires a large more powerful condenser unit, however it does allow the
same type of indoor unit variants for the single split systems, and even allows for different
types of indoor unit being run from the same condenser, e.g. a floor mounted unit in one
room, ceiling cassette in another and a wall mount in yet another room. 
 Typically multi split systems can link between 2 and 4 internal units to a
single external block. The obvious limitation of this air conditioning
 
configuration is that if the outside block breaks down then all the internal
blocks are rendered inoperative. For this reason where external space
allows, a number standard split air conditioners are preferable to a multi
split system. It is also the case that multi split air conditioners are seldom
much more cost-effective than an equivalent configuration of standard
splits. This is because the installation cost to the multi split air conditioning
multi split air system is typically double that of the single splits and typically the
conditioner maintenance costs are also higher. Although we sell this type of air
conditioner system we don’t list them on our website.Phone us for help
0845 688 0112

 
Which type to choose?
The process of choosing an air conditioner has three principal steps which in order are;
1.   Work out what cooling capacity of unit you require. 
2.   Select the type of unit you require
3.   Balance the other factors, including physical size, function, noise, aesthetics and
cost before making your model selection. 
The following brief pointers should help select the type of air conditioner that you need;
 For domestic and small office type applications the ‘installed’ choice almost always

comes down to either window air conditioners or, wall or floor mounted split systems. Faced

with this choice, if you can afford a wall or floor mounted split system then it is the type to

choose from as usually they have more functionality and are invariably quieter than window

air conditioners.

 If you have planning restrictions that prevent the placement of an external condenser on

or near your building, then consider wall mounted or floor mounted monoblocks.

 If you are looking for a very efficient heating source as wall as cooling capacity then you

need an air conditioners with a heat pump. This generally  means that your choice is limited

to split systems, although wall and floor mounted monoblocks also have heat pumps.

 If you want to have a moveable asset, for instance if you rent your property then mobiles

or easy fit split air conditioners are preferable.

 For mobiles the choice is between monoblock and split units. Generally monoblocks air

conditioners are more popular with split air conditioners being requested where larger

capacity is required.
  For larger offices, shops, and other buildings,  then the other types of air conditioning

then come into play.

If you need help on solving a cooling problem or choosing an air conditioner, just
ask us – 0845 688 0112
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