- Air conditioning
- Evaporative air conditioner
- Fan
We all know how the fan works, but what is the difference between an air conditioner and an evaporative air conditioner?
We are going to review in this post the differences between the two so that you understand how each one works. This way you can choose the one that best suits what you are looking for.
What is an air conditioner?
Air conditioning is an air conditioning equipment that generates temperature variations thanks to the compression and expansion of a gas.
In other words, it is capable of modifying the air temperature through a thermodynamic process.
The use of refrigerant gas is the basis of air conditioning, but to be able to use it requires more complex equipment. That’s why air conditioning has a higher price.
However, an air conditioner can also be used to heat the room. In the process of generating cold, a flow of warm air is created and expelled to the outside.
This process is reversible, so in winter heat can be provided to the house. This is what is known as a heat pump.
What is an evaporative air conditioner?
An evaporative air conditioner is a much simpler piece of equipment. What it does is pass a stream of air through a porous, moist surface.
With this, what is achieved is to create a sensation of fresh air while providing moisture to the environment. That’s why these appliances work best in hot, dry climates.
The air conditioner does not cool the environment. Its operation can be summarized as a fan with water.
For this, it has a water tank at its base from which it is extracted thanks to a small pump. The advantage of this system is that you can place some ice in the tank and thus you will achieve that the air that passes through the water cools.
It is not the ideal solution, since to form the ice you will need the use of a freezer (which will bring heat to the environment during its operation), but it can be a punctual solution.
The problem is that it can bring too much moisture to the environment. This can have consequences, since an excess of humidity in the house is inadvisable.
Difference between air conditioning and climate control
We have already seen what each one consists of, let’s now see the differences between the two in the following table.
| Air conditioning | Evaporative air conditioner | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | High | Low |
| Air outlet temperature | Casualty | Virtually equal to room temperature |
| Energy consumption | Low | Low |
| Cooling capacity | Loud | Very low |
| Possibility of heating the environment | Yes | Only on some models |
| Approximate noise | Between 20 and 60 dB | 60 dB |
| System | Fixed or portable | Portable |
My recommendation
What I recommend is that you forget about the air conditioner.
If you want a simple system to cope with the heat I advise you to opt for a fan.
It is enough to withstand hot days and its cost is very economical. You can take it anywhere in the house and store it when you do not need it. And if you want to go a step further I recommend the ceiling fan, it gives very good results!
Now, if you want something more effective against the heat you should opt for air conditioning. And here your doubt should be between choosing a portable air conditioner or a fixed one.
Split air conditioners have better performances, but portable air conditioning has some advantages that make it the best alternative to climate control. You can move it from one room to another and take it to another home if you need it.
Therefore your doubt should be whether to opt for a fan or an air conditioner. And if what you want is an air conditioner, study if you can install it type mural.
But if you want to be able to move it from one place to another, look for it to be portable. It will be infinitely better than an evaporative air conditioner.