Saga of Air-Conditioning

The breakthrough of the theories of the absorption type of refrigeration in 1824 showed that liquefied ammonia could chill air when it is allowed to evaporate. John Gorrie, a physician, created ice using compressor technology in the year 1842.

Based on the need to cool air for industrial processes than for personal comfort, the commercially available of air conditioning applications began. In the year 1902, the first electrical air conditioning was developed by Willis Haviland Carrier, who was also known as the Father of Modern Air Conditioning.

His creation was designed to improve the manufacturing process of a printing plant. By controlling the temperature and humidity of the plant, the processes were created more efficient as the paper size and the ink alignment were consistently preserved.

The latter established Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America to meet the demand of better productivity in the workplace. In central air conditioning, Carrier Corporation is the biggest air conditioner manufacturer and marketing corporation in the world today,.

Thomas Midgley, Jr. discovery of Freon in 1928 by a safer refrigerant to humans compared to the toxic and flammable gases such as ammonia, propane and methyl chloride sparks the development of air conditioning systems for residential, industrial and commercial applications.

The use of CFC and HCFC refrigerants unfortunately are causing the depletion of ozone layer in atmosphere that is causing dangerous rays to penetrate the earth. Newer ozone friendly refrigerants have been created to substitute refrigerants such as R-11, R-12 and R-22 to name a few. Non-ozone depletion refrigerant like R-410a has been used in newer air conditioning systems.

History of Air-Conditioner and Refrigeration

1820 Ice was first artificially developed as an experiment.

1824 Michael Faraday discovered the principles for the absorption type of refrigeration.

1834 Jacob Perkins developed the first artificial ice manufacturing machine which led to modern compression systems.

1902 Willis Haviland Carrier developed the first air conditioner to control the temperature and humidity of a printing company, marking the first time effort taken to control the temperature of the surroundings. This starts the history of air conditioning.

1906 Stuart W. Cramer come out with the term "Air Conditioning" which Carrier was adopted.

1913 The first international refrigeration expo was held in Chicago.

1928 Thomas Midgley, Jr. discovered Freon refrigerant

1930 The White House was air-conditioned.

1946 The demand for room air conditioners started to grow with more than 30,000 units manufactured on this year.

1953 Sale of room air conditioners exceeded 1 million units, another key milestone in the history of air conditioner.

1953 The Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association and The Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Machinery Association was developed.

1957 The first rotary compressor was developed hence making air conditioning units compact and more efficient compared to the reciprocating type.

1977 Heat Pumps equipment created that allows cooling and heating cycle using the same machine that can be used to provide cooling on summer and heating on winter.

1987 Montreal Protocol signed to protect the earth's ozone layer was signed in Montreal, Canada. It established international cooperation on the phase out of ozone depleting substances, including the chlorofluorocarbon(CFC) refrigerants used in HVAC equipment.

1990 Microprocessor control systems were used in all facets of refrigeration and air conditioning due to the readily available semiconductor technology.

1992 The R-22 Alternative Refrigeration Evaluation Program (AREP) began to find alternative refrigerants to R-502 and R-22.

1995 Chloroflourocarbon (CFC) manufacturing in the USA ended on December 31.

1997 Kyoto Protocol signed to conserve the earth's climate by reducing greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

1998 Unitary air conditioners and heat pumps set a sale record of approximately 6 million units.

2007 A State Council issued a circular to limit the temperature of air conditioning in public buildings to 26°C (78°F) or higher on summer and 20°C (68&decF) and lower on winter. Sale of low efficiency air conditioning units were also outlawed.