Many buildings in India use air cooling during dry summer months and change to the air conditioners when the rainy season starts. It was not only healthy, it was also an economically prudent practice. However, during the last few decades, the ever-growing Indian middle-class abandoned this practice and opted to use air conditioners, through all seasons.
Post COVID-19 Thermal Comfort Recommendations
Post COVID-19, professional HVAC societies like ISHRAE, ASHRAE, REHVA, and other healthcare organizations have made some recommendations for indoor comfort to protect people from heat during this pandemic. These guidelines are available in a text format from their websites for free download.
Table 1: The table here illustrates the recommendation of ISHRAE in a simpler and clear format.
Keeping this in view following paragraphs make a technical comparison of both these cooling options with the most appropriate advanced Dual Path Hybrid Air conditioner, for the lay man.
Air Cooler:
During summer, air cooling units provide the desired humidity and temperature and necessary ventilation, as recommended by professional air conditioning these societies. However, air coolers by limitation of design are not capable to control the temperature and humidity during the humid season. During dry summer, the cooling, ventilation, and temperature control in buildings can be achieved using just 300 watts for average 10-15 SQM room.
Traditional Air conditioner:
Most popular 1-3 TR air conditioners can cool the recirculated air in any season but these units require nearly 1500-2000 watts to cool a 10-15 SQM building in the Indian subcontinent. Air conditioners can reduce the humidity during the humid season but have no provision to increase it during the hot and dry summer months. Simultaneously, due to the design constraints, the traditional air conditioners have no provision for any fresh air ventilation at all.
Some suggestions by ISHRAE, like opening a window for fresh air induction and using an open pan of water to increase the humidity are less likely to be followed by the users.
Dual Path Hybrid Air Conditioner:
These advanced air conditioners with all the recommended features will be available soon in India, subcontinent through our licensees. These 1-3 TR Window/Split/PT AC/ Tower units will maintain the temperature at 24-30 ºC, Relative Humidity 50-70%, and provide 30% or more fresh air for ventilation.
There will be no need to open any windows or keeping water pans for humidity control. These units will provide Cooling, Dehumidification, Humidification, and Ventilation as recommended by the professional bodies. Power used by this air conditioner is only 750 watts for an average room measuring 10-15 SQM even when the outdoor temperatures reach 45 ºC or higher.
The Dual Path Hybrid Air Conditioners can run on solar panels for this who want to have comfort without relying on grid electricity.