For cooling and heating of rooms in private houses and apartments, household air conditioners are installed, which differ in their design features.
Monoblocks and split systems
Monoblock constructions with the main working units in one building - window and mobile air conditioners - are less demanded. Due to the simplification of the design, they are cheaper, but have several disadvantages:
- loud noise;
- dimensions;
- inconvenient location in the room;
- lack of many convenient features.
The more popular household air conditioners for an apartment are split systems, in which the internal working elements are distributed in two blocks - external and internal. Both modules are connected by a thin freon conduit, which consists of gas and liquid tubes.
The design of the outdoor and indoor units of the split system
Outdoor unit
The following components are carried out to the outdoor (street) module:
-
- compressor - the main structural element involved in the transfer of heat through a change in the working substance;
- four way valve - responsible for switching to cold / heat (installed in devices operating in the heat pump mode);
- heat exchanger-condenser - here the heat is removed from the gaseous freon for its subsequent transition into a liquid state;
- capillary tube - connects the discharge and suction lines and is a pressure regulator;
- fan - removes air, a cooling condenser, through the louvers of the casing and the outlet grille;
- freon filter - does not allow small debris to get inside during installation;
- nipple connections - the place of connection of the interblock cold path.
Drainage is also taken away from the external unit to drain the condensate. In the heating mode, its discharge occurs by gravity from the pan through the drain pipe. The outdoor module is mounted on a special mounting frame to the wall of the building on the street.
Air conditioning compressor
The compressor is usually soundproofed. If it has inverter control, that is, it is able to change the frequency of the motor, an electronic control board is installed in the outdoor unit, which is responsible for the extensive functionality of the device.
As a rule, SCROLL scroll compressors are installed in domestic air conditioners with power up to 3.5 kW. They operate silently and provide reduced inrush current. For models up to 5 kW, piston compressors with heated crankcase are installed.
Scroll compressors for domestic air conditioners are designed according to the principle of a single-shaft volumetric design. Two spirals are inserted into each other. One is movable, the other is not. Uniform steam injection occurs due to the rotation of the movable spiral around the axis of the stationary, but it does not rotate around its axis. One-way movement is provided by a shaft with an eccentric.
A piston type domestic air conditioner compressor device is characterized by a change in the volume of the working cavities due to the reciprocating movements of the pistons in the cylinders. But such models are distinguished by increased noise and vibration during operation.
Spiral compressors for household air conditioners are used less often, since their cost significantly exceeds the price of reciprocating ones, and manufacturing is a more complicated process.
Indoor unit
In the indoor unit there are other work items:
- evaporator - is responsible for the transition of freon from the liquid phase to the gaseous one;
- fan - moves air to the evaporator;
- lattice - through it there is an air intake;
- filter - removes small particles of dust and other fractional inclusions;
- guides and shutters - regulate the direction of air movement;
- temperature sensors - are responsible for turning the compressor on and off.
All communication communications between the units, the freon line and electric cables, are usually closed in a decorative box or laid in a strob in the wall.
Types of split systems for an apartment
The most popular household air conditioners for an apartment are wall split systems. The indoor unit of such a two-component device has the shape of a rectangle. It is hung on the wall on a special mounting plate. But this is not the only type of refrigeration machine for the living area.
For rooms with high ceilings that do not have excess area, you can buy splits with a different design of the internal module. Duct, cassette, floor-ceiling and column split can replace household wall-mounted air conditioning in the apartment.
The only drawback of most such systems is the inability to supply fresh air to the room. An exception is the powerful high-pressure models of channel splits, which are more reminiscent of a hybrid of an air conditioner and a supply unit. With their help, it is possible to organize the influx of street air in 20-30% of the total amount processed by the system.
Not so long ago, high-pressure channel air conditioners with increased power appeared at the company MDV - they are able to supply fresh air to the living area in 100% volume.
Multi-split systems are also installed in apartments or private houses, where it is necessary to simultaneously cool several separate zones at the same time, so they can also be attributed to household air conditioning devices.
But still, household wall-mounted air conditioners, despite power limitations, are more familiar for installation in residential premises. Manufacturers are more focused on the improvement of just such models. They work quieter in comparison with mobile and window monoblocks, and also consume less energy when compared with channel, cassette, column and floor-to-ceiling devices.
Installation and connection of the air conditioner
The key to long-term operation of the cooling device is its high-quality installation and subsequent regular preventive maintenance, which according to the rules should be carried out at least twice a year.
As a rule, the installation of domestic air conditioners is carried out according to the circuit diagram attached to the device in the service documentation. It contains the symbols for the electrical connections of the external and internal blocks of the split system, as well as all its components.
The components of the refrigeration circuit are electronically controlled. If the domestic air conditioner is improperly installed and the power networks supplying it incorrectly installed, the device will not work, or if it breaks down, the control board will burn.
Typically, a household air conditioner circuit with a low power has a single-phase connection, and with a higher power, a three-phase one. Each device is supplied with individual documentation that cannot be applied to other air conditioning systems.
Regarding the power of the device, there are two types of powering the device:
- into an existing power grid;
- by connecting a separate power line.
When connecting a split system to an existing network, aluminum wires with a small cross-sectional area are not used. Be sure to provide grounding and protection against vibrations and overloads. But a more preferable option is feeding from a separate line.
You can find a diagram of a household air conditioner before installing it not only in the manual, but also on the unit itself or on the inside of the lid. In an extreme case, a device model is written out and information is obtained from the distributor.
Air conditioner refill
The preventive maintenance of the split system includes a standard set of procedures:
- cleaning and disinfection of indoor unit filters;
- flushing the external module;
- diagnostics of operating parameters;
- replenishment of refrigerant losses.
For splits, the norm is 4-8% leakage of freon for a year and a half, therefore, to maintain the level of refrigerant required by the manufacturer, a domestic air conditioner is needed, which is carried out at least once every two years.
This process can take place in different ways. For most air conditioners operating on freon type R-22, just a small refueling with working gas is enough. New split models are already switching to ozone-safe types of freons - R-410A and R-407C. Such household air conditioners will need to be fully charged.
In the second case, the specialist will first evacuate the system, and then connect the cylinder with freon and pour the necessary amount of substance, focusing on the nameplate data and the weight indicators.
Signs of a Freon leak
An attentive user should know that you should call the wizard with the “strange” behavior of the cooling device. This is necessary if:
- the air conditioner cools badly or for a long time reaches the desired values;
- on the external module, oily black smudges or freezing of liquid and gas valves are clearly visible;
- during compressor operation, vibrations and noise appear;
- the device goes into error code mode or does not turn on at all;
- smell of burning from the device.
In all of the above cases, a regular filling of domestic air conditioners with freon may be required.
Air conditioner selection
In order for the home air conditioner to work properly, and the user does not overpay for additional functionality, it is necessary to correctly take into account all your needs. What are the criteria for choosing a household air conditioner in an apartment?
- When calculating the cooling capacity, the area of the room and all heat inflows from lighting, household appliances, roofs, walls, windows, doors, people are taken into account. On average, 1 kW of power is taken per 10 m² and about 30% of them are added to the results as a reserve;
- Be sure to take into account the purpose of the room. For rented apartments or summer cottages, it’s easier to buy a mobile air conditioner, since when moving it can be easily dismantled and taken with you;
- Be sure to look at the shape of the room when choosing a household air conditioner. For standard square or rectangular rooms, wall splits are ideal. If the room has the shape of an elongated rectangle (such as in the old walk-through courtyards of the Khrushchev building) or some other non-standard configuration, then it is better to buy a floor-and-ceiling system, in which air is blown along the walls and passes throughout the room, penetrating even hard-to-reach areas;
- An important factor is the height of the ceiling. If its size is less than three meters, then a wall split is suitable, all that is higher requires a cassette or channel system;
- The choice may be affected by the presence of various modes and functions. With minimal requirements for the operation of the air conditioner, when it only requires cooling in the summer for several weeks, you can do the simplest device without a powerful filter system and a set of sophisticated electronics;
- Can I somehow choose a household air conditioner for daily work? With the need for daily cooling in the summer and heating in the cold period, it is better to buy an inverter model with smooth regulation of the compressor. They are more hardy and economical.
In each individual case, it is advisable to consult with managers in the climate equipment store or installers who will install the domestic air conditioner in the future.
Popular brands
When choosing a refrigerator in an apartment, the trademark can become a decisive factor. Many pay attention to the rating of manufacturers. Better and more reliable are household air conditioners of Japanese brands and assembled in Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Denmark, Turkey, Italy.
Chinese split systems have won less consumer confidence due to the fact that they have much worse quality of plastic, components and the assembly itself. An exception may be brands of household air conditioners such as MIDEAin which the compressor of the company is provided in the configuration Toshiba.
The most reliable air conditioners are DAIKIN and MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC. They belong to the premium climate equipment.
Trademarks for household air conditioners such as Hitachi, DELONGHI, FUJITSU GENERAL, MITSUBISHI HEAVY and Panasonic occupy a middle niche, being a business class technique.
All Chinese and Korean manufacturers belong to the economy segment: LG, DANTEXSAMSUNG, Gree, HAIER, AKIRA and others who fell in love with Russian consumers for their low cost compared to higher-level air conditioners.
