Room coolers - monoblocks equipped with wheels, remain mobile only conditionally. In fact, the unit is “tied” to the window opening with a hose that expels hot air. It is a sin not to take advantage of such a disadvantage for commercial purposes by offering the consumer an alternative option - a floor air conditioner without an air duct. Which is what some manufacturers of household appliances have done. Our task is to study the device structure, impartially analyze their advantages and publish some real reviews.
Why do I need a window duct
First, we propose to consider the question of why portable coolers are unable to work without air removal outside the premises. Briefly explain the device and the principle of operation of traditional monoblock air conditioners.
Home air conditioning system is assembled in a single building equipped with wheels. Inside are the following elements:
- 2 heat exchangers - evaporator and condenser;
- two fans driving air through these radiators;
- compressor unit;
- expansion valve;
- electronic control unit, sensors.
Heat exchangers, compressor and expansion valve are connected by tubes filled with a special refrigerant - freon. The latter circulates due to the pressure pumped by the compressor.
For reference. The fundamental feature of freons is the ability to boil and pass into the gaseous phase at subzero temperatures (–10 ... –40 ° С).
All refrigerators, including air conditioners and split systems, use the Carnot cycle in their work - the transfer of thermal energy by evaporation and condensation of the refrigerant. How does this happen:
- Freon in a liquid state is fed into the first heat exchanger, blown with hot room air. The substance evaporates and takes away the lion's share of heat from the air stream - this is how the cooling of the room is implemented.
- The “charged” energy refrigerant passes through a compressor unit that raises the gas pressure. This will cause freon to condense at a higher temperature.
- Getting into another radiator (condenser), purged by a second fan, the refrigerant goes into a liquid state and returns a supply of thermal energy. Then Freon flows to the expansion valve and is again fed to the evaporator, as shown in the diagram.
The stream cooled in the evaporator enters the apartment. And what to do with the air heated in the condenser? It is clear that you cannot throw it back into the room - air conditioning will be zero. That's why you need to divert the hot air stream to the street through a large-diameter hose.
Key moment. The pipe connecting the refrigeration machine with the external environment is a channel for removing excess thermal energy from the room.
How hose coolers work
We found out that traditional type home air conditioners cannot function properly without venting heated air to the outside. Indeed, manufacturers offer us climate units using a completely different principle of operation.
A mobile cooler without an air duct consists of the following elements:
- lightweight portable case on casters;
- Air filter;
- fan;
- water filter;
- container filled with water;
- water pump;
- tubular electric heater (TEN);
- control unit and automation.
Note. According to modern trends, most models are equipped with remote controls.
Introducing the algorithm of the outdoor air conditioner, described by the words of one of the manufacturers:
- An electric fan blows air through 2 filters - coarse and water.
- A water filter is a small mesh material that is wetted by a pump. Passing through the canvas, the air stream is cleaned of dust and moistened.
- The second function of the water filter is cooling, which occurs due to the phase transition of water from liquid to gaseous state. Upon contact with hot air, it evaporates and takes a significant part of the heat, lowering the flow temperature by 5-7 degrees.
- Properly placed in the room, the cooler creates an air cushion that does not allow the cooled flows to go outside through an open window opening or balcony.
- In the "winter" mode, the air is heated by an electric heater.
The manufacturer recommends operating a mobile air conditioner without an air duct with an open window, and putting gel thermocouples into the tank, they are also cold accumulators. A hot air outlet pipe is not needed. How it looks in reality, look at the video from the manufacturer, but do not take it to heart:
Reliability of information about air conditioners
Now consider the reliability of the information presented in each paragraph of the list:
- Fan air injection and two-stage filtration are indeed present. In parallel, the flow is humidified.
- Cooling the air at 5-7 ° C due to evaporation is a myth. A stream with a temperature of + 30 ... + 40 ° C is unable to heat water to 100 degrees and turn it into steam.
- The receipt of thermal energy from the street through an open doorway can be limited (but not excluded!) Only by an air curtain. The cooling unit without a hose does not create one, which means that the statement about the air cushion does not correspond to reality.
- Heating during the winter period from the heating element takes place.
Clarification. The air stream passing through the wet material simply tears off and carries away water molecules, saturated with moisture. Conventional humidifiers and climate systems function in a similar way.
In fact, floor air conditioners, not equipped with an air duct, are engaged in cleaning, heating and humidifying the house, but only not cooling the room environment. The manufacturer expressly warns in the instruction manual: the device should not work in a closed room, it is necessary to open the window. This is understandable - from waterlogging, the residents will become stuffy, not cool.
Positive and negative sides of the product
The main disadvantage of floor-mounted models of air conditioners without a street tap is that they practically do not cool the air, only moisturize. But if you have already bought a similar device, do not rush to get upset - try to find the real advantages of the product:
- complete lack of installation - to start the household appliance just plug it into the outlet;
- high mobility - the unit easily moves around an apartment or a private house;
- low weight in comparison with freon "brothers";
- economical electricity consumption (until the heater is turned on);
- availability - the price of the device is approximately 20% lower than a full-fledged cooler;
- silent work - the design provides one fan instead of two.
Note. Together, a water pump and an air conditioning fan consume energy literally for a penny - up to 200 watts. But it is worth turning on the heating mode, and the heating element will begin to “reel” every hour on the 2-3 kW meter.
I must admit that the products in question have a modern design and do not lag behind in terms of functionality - there are several modes of operation of the fan and pump, heating temperature control, digital display and so on.
Now about the negative aspects of the operation of mobile air conditioners without an air hose:
- No pipe - there is no channel for removing excess heat to the street. Summer heat, penetrating the apartment from the outside, remains inside, no matter how much the climate unit operates in maximum mode.
- The device lacks the function of maintaining the temperature of the refrigerated room.This is not surprising - the air conditioner does not emit cold. Only the heating temperature is controlled.
- A feeling of coolness occurs in the first 10-30 minutes after switching on. Then the air is saturated with water vapor and becomes stuffy. No wonder the manufacturer recommends opening windows.
- The inner tank must be replenished with water, preferably very cold. Even better is to put ice or gel thermal accumulators, previously frozen in the refrigerator, into the container. Which also releases heat into the room - a circular process comes out.
- The heating mode loses to conventional split systems in efficiency - the heater converts electricity into heat with an efficiency of 99% (one to one kilowatt). Split takes heat from the outside and transfers it into the room, spending 1/3 of the electricity.
Tip. If you want to know how much ice is enough to cool a room, check out the calculation in the instructions for making an air conditioner with your own hands.
User reviews on forums
If you collect all the pros and cons of water conditioners, then the picture is unsightly: paying 20% less than a conventional cooler, you get a defective humidifier (there is no control of relative humidity) plus a purifier and air heater. How much this suits users, we read in the reviews:
Valentine, Volgodonsk.
Last year I bought such a “condo” - it was very hot, there was a haze right there. I wanted to quickly solve the problem and not engage in installation. Result: the device buzzes, makes noise, does not save from heat at all. One consolation is that it does not take much electricity. I turned to the office for installing split systems.
Anna, the city of Podolsk.
I bought the KIBOR-25 model, but I did not have time to really test it. After turning on, the device began to sound an alarm every 10 minutes - something was wrong with the cooling function. Although the air from the grill came out cool. I thought - factory marriage, passed it back.
Igor, Pervomaisk.
At first, the price of a household appliance and low weight attracted it - it’s easy to move and you do not need to connect the pipe. The seller explained that the device is more related to cold generators, and air conditioning is called purely nominal. He poured water at home, turned it on and began to wait for relaxation. At first I liked it, then it became stuffy, I opened a balcony window. In fact, it didn’t get any cooler - the wind drives the frying pan from the balcony, the unit cannot cope. This year I installed a normal air conditioner.
Alexey, Vyazma.
Not too strong in the laws of physics and really did not delve into the work of the cooler. Acquired, connected, launched - everything suits. The fan blows slightly chill, as if you would not catch a cold. I wanted it cooler - I threw a couple of cold accumulators into the container. The price is quite affordable.
Final conclusions
Before concluding, we give a short list of manufacturers producing air conditioners without connecting an external duct:
- Vektor;
- Honeywell (has nothing to do with the American brand of the same name offering pipe and radiator fittings);
- Kibor.
The air conditioning system is, from a technical point of view, air conditioning. Let us recall the definition: conditioning is the process of bringing air to the desired condition. This includes cleaning, heating, cooling and humidification / drainage.
One trouble - the air in question is not cooled, but saturated with moisture. The meaning of the purchase is lost - a conventional humidifier is much cheaper and much smaller in size, many models are equipped with air humidity control.
And the last: no serious brand, even a Chinese one, undertakes the production of air conditioners without a branch pipe. This is a significant argument in favor of the good old split systems. If you want the floor version, purchase a model with the corresponding indoor unit, fixed above the baseboard.