Feature
Continued from page 29
•
Evaporative coolers, which use an internal or external
water source to provide cooling and a fan to push air across
a space. Although their performance is not comparable
to that of portable air conditioners, they can provide a
simple, low-cost cooling option for specialised use—most
commonly, for outdoor areas where the budget or power
supply is limited, as they can run on standard residential
current. Warehouses are another common application for
these units.
PORTABLE VS. FIXED
The main difference between a fixed unit such as a split AC
unit and a portable unit is that on a split unit, the condenser
and the evaporator are separated with the condenser being
placed outside rejecting the hot air and evaporator inside
supplying the cool air. The portable unit is self-contained with
both the condenser and evaporator compacted in one unit. A
hose is attached to the back of the units to carry out the hot
air from the condenser. This hose is usually taken out through
a window.
“Portable air conditioners often use more electricity to cool
the same square meter space compared to a split unit. This is
mainly because they generate waste heat indoors instead of
outside as the compressor is located inside the unit, creating
more overall heat for the unit to deal with. Fixed units require
certified installers to fit them into buildings. This results in extra
costs making it expensive and less convenient for customers to
install a fixed unit as compared to a portable unit which is a plug
and play,” Swana explains.
The list can be endless
on what equipment can be
portable.”
- Kagiso Makgatho, Aggreko
“In terms of actual performance, the equipment is fairly similar.
However, modifications are made to allow for easy movement,
quick installation and in some instances, wheels placed at the
bottom allow them to be moved. Other types have cages built
around them to ensure they can be durable and also provide
protection against theft and damage during transit,” Makgatho
enlightens. Additionally, portable units have the same functions
as spilt units like heating, cooling and humidity control. “As
previously mentioned, the main advantage the portable unit has
over the split unit is mobility,” says Swana.
Swana says that the key components that are used in
portable air conditioners; include compressors, condenser and
evaporator coils which act as heat exchangers, two fans for
blowing cool air and extracting hot air, louvers which control
Continued on page 33
Portable HVAC
equipment is
often used on
construction
sites.
www.hvacronline.co.za
RACA Journal I February 2020
31