TYPES OF AIR CONDITIONERS
Below are a description the most commonly used types of air conditioners available within the light commercial & residential market;
1. Window AC system
A ‘Window’ type air conditioner consists of 1 single unit, designed to be mounted within a window or sometimes mounted within an external wall. Due to its compact design the window mounted AC has poor energy efficiency compared to an split AC system that has 2 components (indoor & outdoor units).
2. Single Split AC System
A ‘Single Split’ air conditioning system consists of 1 single indoor unit air conditioner connected to a dedicated single outdoor condensing unit. The word single split means that the AC system is split into 2 parts. In this case split between 1 indoor & 1 outdoor unit.
The indoor unit’s function is to distribute conditioned air to occupants and the outdoor unit is designed to reject system heat or cold as part of the refrigeration cycle.
Split System Indoor units come in many different types as listed in the table below:-
| Item | Indoor unit type | Typical location | Comments | Purchase Guide Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) | Wall hung | Indoor unit is mounted to wall |  |
Most Energy Efficient Wall splits |
| (2) | Cassette | Indoor unit is recessed into ceiling |  |
Most Energy Efficient Cassette splits |
| (3) | Ceiling Suspended | Indoor unit is surface fixed to ceiling |  |
Not available yet |
| (4) | Floor | Indoor unit is floor mounted |  |
Not available yet |
| (5) | Ducted | Indoor unit is hidden within the ceiling or floor space, connected to ductwork that distributes conditioned air to vents or registers within the space(s). |  |
Not available yet |
3. Multi Split Air Conditioning System
A ‘Multi Split’ air conditioning system means a split system air conditioner with a refrigeration system having a common single outdoor condensing unit connected to multiple (two or more) independently controlled indoor units of the following 2 types:-
- Fixed head or
- Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) /Variable refrigerant volume (VRV)
We have compiled a list of the most energy efficient multi split Fixed head type air conditioners for comparison to assist you in your purchase of a new energy efficient air conditioner.
(a) Fixed Head type Air Conditioner
Fixed head type means a multi-split system air conditioner or heat pump incorporating a single refrigerant circuit with a single outdoor unit and two or more indoor units, each of which can be individually controlled. The outdoor unit has a dedicated set of refrigeration ports for each individual indoor unit. The maximum number of indoor units that can be connected is limited by the number of dedicated ports on the outdoor unit.
VIEW most energy efficient multi split air conditioners ( fixed head type)
(b) VRV type Air Conditioner
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) type means a multi-split system air conditioner or heat pump incorporating a single refrigerant circuit with one or more outdoor units and two or more indoor units each of which can be individually controlled. The outdoor unit module has a set of refrigeration ports that services the network of indoor units through branch piping and/or distribution devices.
VIEW most energy efficient multi split air conditioners ( VRF type)
