Air conditioning is a common ventilation device found throughout the modern world. With the advancement of technology, air conditioning units have become a common device, both in commercial and in public facilities, aimed at bringing comfort and convenience to potential customers. Everywhere you go, air conditioning units not only gauge how well you serve your customers, but also how well you upkeep the building.
The history of air conditioning units dates as far back as Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Persian times and symbolized nobility and royalty of aristocrat families. Early air conditioning devices made use of water and cold air to cool down the brickwork of buildings. Due to scarcity of water in deserts and the extravagance of having them, only the ruling classes could afford to have them.
An American inventor and engineer by the name of Willis Carrier is credited as the man who invented air conditioning in its modern form way back in 1902.
However, the major breakthrough in the history of air conditioning equipment came in 1824 when British scientist and inventor Michael Faraday discovered the possibility of producing cool air by compressing, liquefying and evaporating ammonia. The first serious application of Faraday’s discovery happened in 1924 when it’s main application was not used to control and to regulate the temperature and humidity of rooms, but in commercial printing applications. From then on, the technology evolved and applied in regulating temperature of buildings and rooms.
However, it was only in 1906 when the term “air conditioning” came into being when textile mill owner Stuart W. Cramer experimented and found means to improve the impact of dry air on industrial textile processes. He later filed a patent for the technology and named it in conjunction with the term “water conditioning.” It became popular and widely used in the textile industry due to its benefits, such as improving the quality of air within the factory and augmenting the productivity of employees.
Air conditioning advancements
Air conditioning technology encountered a severe blow when highly toxic chemicals, similar to ammonia were being used, which had lethal effects once they escaped into the atmosphere. Because of its detrimental effects, there was a need to produce a safer alternative for toxic chemicals. In 1920, chlorofluorocarbons and hydro fluorocarbons were developed. From 1920 to the 21stcentury, these gases were used in various types of air conditioning systems but were later found to be harmful to the ozone layer.
Alternatives were developed to address the growing awareness of their harmful effects and older models were later phased out. With the growing commitment to promote environmental awareness, achieve energy efficiency and to eliminate the harmful gases which were destroying the ozone layer, the future of air conditioning systems looks promising and bright once again.
You can read more about the origins of air conditioning here.
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