How do portable air conditioners work?

Answer 1

Portable air conditioners provide a cost effective and energy efficient way to cool a room. Depending on its size as measured in Btuh it may just use up to 1/8th as much electricity as a central air unit. It is important to note that because of its zone cooling, cooling one room at a time it will not keep your entire house as cool.

Answer 2

A portable air conditioner works essentially the same way as central air conditioning or window units. There are essentially 3 parts to an air-conditioning system: the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator. The compressor and condenser are typically located outdoors. The condenser is a large box of metal fins with lines running through it and a fan mounted on top. It is hollow, and the compressor is usually located inside of it. The compressor is a sort of mechanical pump. The air-conditioning system is filled with a gas. The compressor takes this gas and compresses it to a high pressure, which causes it to heat up and become much hotter than the outside air. The hot gas is then pushed to the condenser, where the fan blows the heat off the fins into the outside air. In the process, the gas cools and becomes a liquid (i.e. it condenses). It then enters the evaporator, where the pressure is decreased and the gas becomes much colder. You can then blow air from the house or business across the pipes containing the cold gas to cool the air in the room. The gas is warmed slightly by the air from the room and must be cooled again, so it is then returned to the compressor and the cycle begins again.

Portable air conditioners are not directly exposed to the outside air, so they use a long tube to move hot air from the condenser fins to the outside (for example, through a window).

Answer 3

b/c mashed potatoes feel funny