Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
| Domain | Definition |
Energy | The control of the quality, quantity, and temperature-humidity of the air in an interior space. (references) |
Mining | The simultaneous control, within prescribed limits, of the quality, quantity, temperature, and humidity of the air in a designated space. It is essentially atmospheric environmental control. Control of only one or two of these properties of the atmosphere does not constitute air conditioning. The definition and correct usage require that the purity, motion, and heat content of the air must all be maintained within theprescribed limits. (references) |
Transportation | The process of treating air so as to control simultaneously its temperature, humidity, purity and distribution. Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Air conditioning units may also reduce the humidity of the air processed by the system. Since drier air aids evaporative cooling of people, this improves the comfort provided.
From a mechanical engineering viewpoint, a modern air conditioner is a specialized form of a heat engine. It is designed for maximum efficiency when work is being applied to cool a living or storage volume by pumping heat from a low temperature heat source to a higher temperature heat sink. In electric units this is typically done by using an electric motor to drive a compressor. The compressor compresses a working fluid. During compression the working fluid is heated to a higher temperature than the higher temperature heat sink. The working fluid is circulated to outside coils where it cools to ambient air temperature. The working fluid is then expanded (which lowers the temperature of the fluid via adiabatic cooling) and circulated through an interior coil. The interior coil absorbs heat energy from the interior air and transfers it to the working fluid which then proceeds to the compressor to repeat the cycle.
In the past, "swamp cooling" was popular for improving comfort during hot weather. It is a simpler system where air is blown over a moist mesh to cool the air evaporatively, and it worked best in hot, dry climates.
Freon was commonly used as a working fluid due to its superior heat conducting and capacitance properties. Unfortunately, it has become very controversial as evidence has accumulated that it reachs the upper atmosphere when it escapes. The chemistry is poorly understood but consensus seems to have been growing that fluorocarbons act as a catalyst in the presence of ultraviolet radiation and may be doing severe damage to the ozone layer.
Air conditioner size is often measured in "tons". A "ton" is the ability to remove 12,000 BTUs per hour. Residential central air conditioners can be 1-5 tons.
The sale of the appliance depends on seasons and weather. The sale usually lifts a little or a lot in summer and particularly during heat waves.
The use of compressive AC is a major draw on electrical supplies in warm climates where there are many units installed.
See also:
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Air conditioning."
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Refrigeration | Air conditioning, central air conditioning; air conditioner; fan, attic fan; dehumidifier. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: AIR CONDITIONING |
| English words defined with "AIR CONDITIONING": air-conditioned ♦ freeze. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "AIR CONDITIONING": air humidification, air inlet, air intake, all year air conditioning, Appliance Standards ♦ CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS, comfort air conditioning, COOLING CAPACITY, LATENT, COOLING CAPACITY, SENSIBLE ♦ dinosaur pen, Dual Duct System, DUAL-DUCT SYSTEM ♦ EER, effective temperature, energy efficiency ratio, ENERGY MANAGEMENTSYSTEM ♦ household appliances, humidification, HVAC ♦ Manual J, mechanical room, Multi-Zone System ♦ packaged air conditioner, programmed control ♦ Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, self-contained air conditioning unit, service room, service space ♦ year round air conditioning. (references) |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Looking through a cannon port towards the azure waters of the southern Gulf of Mexico. These openings also served as air conditioning and let the sea breeze through. Credit: America's Coastlines. |  | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Air Service Command. Corporal Frank Hoffman, airplane mechanic with a mobile unit. Corporal Hoffman comes from 25 Moyston Street, Schenectady, New York where he was a sheet metal worker for an air conditioning company. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Potomac Electric Power Co. air conditioning and lighting. Anacostia liquor store I. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | Electric Institute of Washington, Potomac Electric Power Co. Air conditioning displays I. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Mayflower Hotel. Construction of air conditioning on roof of Mayflower Hotel. Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Play | Caption |
 | Air conditioner; fan; cooling; ventilator; Freon; air conditioning; climate control; temperature regulator. |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba spp., commonly found in lakes, swimming pools, tap water, and heating and air conditioning units. (references) | |
Outbreaks of legionellosis have occurred after persons have breathed mists that come from a water source (e.g., air conditioning cooling towers, whirlpool spas, showers) contaminated with Legionella bacteria. (references) | ||
For travelers to areas with dengue, a well as people living in areas with dengue, the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes indoors is reduced by utilization of air conditioning or windows and doors that are screened. (references) | ||
Business | The Government plans to install air conditioning. (references) | |
Approximately 3.1 million houses use air conditioning. (references) | ||
In 1999 the market for central air conditioning units reached 3,500 units. (references) | ||
Economic History | Chile | Local manufacturing of air conditioning or refrigeration equipment is minimal. (references) |
Greece | High tech, portable lightweight tools are also in demand, as is central air conditioning equipment. (references) | |
Chile | The Chilean market for air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR) is composed almost entirely of imports. (references) | |
Trade | Canada | For example, the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute and the CSA have harmonized performance standards for air conditioners and heat pumps, packaged water chillers, and water-source heat pumps. (references) |
Travel | Russia | Summers, while brief, can be surprisingly hot, and air conditioning is still rare outside big-city hotels. (references) |
Nigeria | Air conditioning and hot water are often a problem in hotels, in addition to the frequent breakdown of elevators. (references) | |
Worker Rights | El Salvador | Some of the largest plants have dust control, air conditioning, on-site medical facilities, and enforced safety regimes. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
Expressions using "AIR CONDITIONING": all year air conditioning ♦ year round air conditioning. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "AIR CONDITIONING"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | kondicionim (air cooling). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | تكييف الهواء. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 空調 . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | klimatizace. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | air condition (aeration, air renewal), ventilation (ventilation), luftkonditionering (aeration, air handling, air renewal), luftbehandling (air handling, air treatment). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | air-conditioning (air-conditioning), airconditioning (aeration, air renewal, air-conditioning, climatisation), airco (air-conditioning), luchtbehandeling (aeration, air handling, air renewal, air treatment, air-conditioning), klimaatregeling (aeration, air handling, air renewal, air-conditioning, climatisation), klimaatbeheersing. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | klimatizo, klimatizilo. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | climatisation (air-conditioning). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Klimaanlage (air condition, air conditioner, air-conditioning system). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | κλιματισμόσ, κλιματισμός αέρα (air handling), κλιματισμός (air-conditioning, climatisation), τεχνητόσ αερισμόσ. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | מזו' אויר. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | légkondicionálás, klimatizálás. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | climatizzazione (air-conditioning, climatisation). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 空調 , 空気調整 , 冷暖房 , エール大学 (acquired immune deficiency syndrome, aerobic dancing, aerobicise, aerobics, aerodynamics, aerogram, aerosol, aid, AIDS, AIDS virus, air, air bag, air brake, air breathing engine, air cargo, air check, air circulating system, air cleaner, air compressor, air conditioner, air curtain, air cushion, air dome, air door, air force, air girl, air gun, air hostess, air mail, air mattress, air pad, air pageant, air people, air pocket, air pot, air pump, air rifle, air right, air service, air shoot, air shuttle, air sick, air suspension, air terminal, air towel, airborne, airbrush, Airbus, airline, airport, airport tax, airsick bag, airsickness, airway, alias, alien, Edam cheese, eight, eight beat, exercising with aerobics, hit point, home page, HP, on-air monitor, stewardess, Yale University). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | くうきちょうせい, くうちょう, れい "ぼう, エアコンディショニング , エアコン (air conditioner). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Papiamen | erkondeshon, erko. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | airay onditioningcay condicionador de ar compacto (packaged air conditioner, self-contained air conditioning unit). (various references) кондиционирование воздуха (air-conditioning). (various references) klimatizacija, erkondišn (air conditioner). (various references) climatización (air-conditioning, climatisation, conditioning), aire acondicionado (air-conditioning, climatisation). (various references) luftkonditionering (air conditioner, air-conditioning). (various references) air con. (various references) klima tesisatı, iklimleme, havalandırma (aeration, airing, blower, fanner, ventilating, ventilation). (various references) кондиціювання повітря (air-condition). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-d-g-i-i-i-i-n-n-n-o-o-r-t" | |
-3 letters: conditioning, coordinating. | |
-4 letters: indignation, origination. | |
-5 letters: carotinoid, cartooning, containing, coronating, indicating, indication, iodinating, iodination, nonorganic, nonrioting, ordination. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Crosswords 2. Usage: Commercial 3. Images: Slideshow 4. Images: Photo Album | 5. Sounds 6. Quotations: Non-fiction 7. Expressions 8. Expressions: Internet | 9. Translations: Modern 10. Anagrams 11. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
