Basic
Tips for Efficient Air-Conditioning
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- Measure existing
cooling load by calculating Solar load, equipment load & heat
load of people.
- Reduce the
cooling load by minimizing the thermal conduction & air infiltration.
Any leaks in the building envelope should be sealed. e.g. cracks
in windows or weather striping. Close off & seal unused areas
& reduce cooling in little used areas.
- To reduce
the heat load on AC system due to the solar heat gain through
windows, double glazed windows should be used for future applications
& present windows should be retrofitted with a good quality sun
protection film.
- Some additional
heat load reduction strategies can be used like window shedding
or tree planting outside the office buildings. Special care should
be taken for providing insulation for roof. This will reduce the
solar heat load considerably.
- Best of the
windows have less ability to block solar gain as compared to worst
of the walls, so if the designer & interior decorator are not
planning to utilize the daylight, then window area can be reduced.
This will certainly help in reducing total heat load.
- Air ducts
should have proper insulation, dead ends should be eliminated.
Ducting arrangement should be checked periodically for leakage
& it should be cleaned. Filters, condenser tubes, cooling towers
should be regularly cleaned, so that the system can work at the
designed efficiency.
- The working
staff should be informed to keep the doors of air-conditioned
rooms properly closed, whenever ac is operational. Keeping doors
and windows closed can reduce A/C power consumption. Use of air
curtains or lobbies at the entrances, will also help in reducing
A/C power consumption.
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