Air-conditioning

Air-conditioning is the bringing of air in a building to a desired temperature, purity, and humidity throughout the year to maintain healthy and comfortable atmosphere.

Air-conditioning may be divided into two main sections: *one for the processing of materials in industry; the other for human com­fort. It has been found that there is an optimum condition of temper­ature and humidity at which the processing of different materials may be carried out with the minimum of wastage and the maximum of goods of specification quality. The system is therefore designed to produce air of predetermined temperature and moisture content and to keep it so despite all external influences. Such air is filtered free of foreign material.

Conditioning air for human comfort may also be divided into two main sections — winter and summer. Frequently, the systems in­stalled in office buildings provide control during both seasons. Com­plete air-conditioning provides the following services.

First, filtration of the air both in winter and summer to remove dust.

Second, circulation of the air at low velocity and with proper diffusion to prevent draughts and maintain *a uniform temperature and humidity at all parts of the inhabited space.

Third, introduction of enough fresh air from the outside atmo­sphere.

Fourth, heating of the air in winter.

Fifth, cooling of the air in summer below the outside atmosphere.

Sixth, humidifying the air in winter to a relative humidity of at least 20-25 per cent.

Seventh, dehumidifying the air in summer to a relative humidity not exceeding 55 per cent.

The basic pieces of equipment are the filters, preheat coils, hu­midifiers, reheat coils, additional cooling coils, fans and controls. The control of air purity can be achieved in various degrees. As a minimum control some sort of filtering must be done near the en­trance of the air-conditioning system. Possibly the most efficient fil­tering device is the electrostatic precipitator.

Air conditioning for human comfort is employed in both large and small installations, such as theaters, office buildings, depart­ment stores, residences, airplanes, railways, cars and submarines.

II

People are comfortable when they are *neither too cold, nor too warm and when the air about them is neither too dry, nor too damp and is not stuffy or dusty. To bring about these desirable conditions the heating or air-conditioning apparatus must be capable of main­taining the following conditions inside the house, whatever the con­ditions outside may be.

To avoid stuffiness, the air should be given a certain amount of motion. Under winter conditions this must be sufficient to distribute the heat uniformly throughout the rooms. It must not be too cold at the floor, not too hot at the ceiling. * A stove causes the hot air around it to rise up toward the ceiling and cooler air to flow toward the stove. A radiator acts in this respect like a stove. Warm-air registers bring heated air into a room with a certain motion or velocity which imparts movement to the air already in the room. An outlet for this air should be provided in order to have good ventilation. In summer time much greater air motion is needed, enough to change the air in a room completely from three to ten times per hour. Sometimes a fan is placed in the attic to blow the warm air out and to cause the cooler night air to flow through open windows. When this is done, air in the house can be expected to be changed completely every two or three minutes. When air is brought into a house from outside, heated in a furnace and distributed through all the rooms, it ought to be cleaned by passing it through "filters" before it enters the furnace.

III. Discuss air-conditioning of the house with your partner using the following phrases:

1. Another important thing is...

2. You must keep in mind that...

3. You avoid this... should...

4.... (this) must be sufficient.

5. What people need most of all...

V.Answer the following questions:

1. What is air-conditioning?

2. What sections does air-conditioning divide into?

3. What types of services does air –conditioning provide?

4. What is the basic equipment for air conditioning?

5. Where can air-conditioning be employed?

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