Type of air conditioner

Various types of commercial air conditioners

A commercial air conditioner can be divided into various types. Each type has its own characteristics, and it is important to select an air conditioner that suits the usage environment and application.

 In general, commercial air conditioners are also called packaged air conditioners and are distinguished from household room air conditioners. The most commonly used packaged air conditioner is the “air conditioner for stores”. Similar to home air conditioners, many of these have outdoor and indoor units paired together and can often be found in relatively small stores and offices.

"Air conditioners for stores" can be further classified, and the types are generally divided according to the installation method. Let's see a representative one.

 

・Ceiling embedded cassette type

The air conditioner itself is embedded in the ceiling so that only the outlet panel can be seen. There are two types, one that can blow air in all directions and one that has two directions. It has excellent design because it can be integrated with the ceiling.

・Duct type

The air conditioner is embedded in the ceiling, and only the outlets connected by ducts are visible. The feature is that the position of the air outlet can be freely laid out, and uneven temperature in the room is unlikely to occur.

・Ceiling suspension type

The air conditioner itself is exposed under the ceiling due to the installation method of suspending the indoor unit from the ceiling. Suitable for narrow spaces due to its high ventilation capacity. Also, installation is relatively easy.

・Wall hanging type

Just like a home air conditioner, it is installed on the wall. It is easy to install and easy to maintain.

 ・Floor type

It is an installation method that puts the air conditioner body directly on the floor. It is suitable for spaces where the ceiling is high and it is not possible to blow air to the feet when using the embedded ceiling type. Even very large ones can be installed in a short period of time.

 On the other hand, what you often see in large buildings is a large-scale commercial air conditioner called "multi air conditioner for buildings" . Unlike home air conditioners, outdoor units can be integrated even if the number of indoor units is large, so it is excellent in convenience during maintenance and maintainability. In addition, the indoor unit has a multi-operation function and can be operated individually. Therefore, it is economical because it is possible to adjust the number of operating indoor units according to the room temperature and to operate the indoor units only in the room in which they are used.

 "Multi air conditioners for buildings" can also be classified into more detailed types for each system. Let's see a representative one.

 

・Cooling and heating individual operation multi

It is a system that can change the operation method for each indoor unit. You can set the temperature individually such as cooling in one room and heating in another, and you can turn off the air conditioning in unused rooms, which is excellent in energy saving and comfort.

 ・Multi for an ice storage building

It is a system that stores ice during times when power consumption is low at night and is used during cooling operation during the day. It is excellent in energy saving because it can reduce power consumption during peak hours. Hot water is stored at night during heating operation in winter.

 

・Gas heat pump air conditioner

It is a system that suppresses the electric power load at the peak by operating a compressor by burning gas such as propane gas. You can use the heat of combustion of gas to defrost, so you do not have to feel uncomfortable when you pause during heating.

 

In addition to these, there are "facility air conditioners", "wall through air conditioners", and "distributed water heat source air conditioners" that are unique to commercial air conditioners. Most of the "air conditioners for equipment" are large floor-standing type and blow off from a duct. "Wall-through air conditioner" is an air conditioner that blows air from the waist-high wall under the window. Since the air conditioner is installed in a place where it can exchange heat with the outside air, it radiates heat directly to the outside during cooling and collects heat directly from outside during heating. "Dispersed water heat source air conditioner" is a system that connects many packaged air conditioners to the water circulation equipment. For example, when air conditioning and heating are used at the same time, the heat discarded in the circulating water can be reused, which is excellent in energy saving.

As you can see, there are many types of commercial air conditioners, but the shape of the room is the most important factor to consider when installing or replacing a new air conditioner. For example, for a standard room close to a square, a ceiling-embedded room with outlets in 4 directions is suitable. On the other hand, if you can install the indoor unit in only one place in a long and narrow room, we recommend the ceiling hanging type or wall hanging type that allows the wind to reach the other side. If space has a very high ceiling, the floor-standing type may be suitable for the application.

 

Depending on the room shape, it may be desirable to install a combination of different types of commercial air conditioners. Carefully consider the shape of the room and the capacity of the air conditioner when installing or replacing.