An Introduction To Portable Air Conditioners

How They Work

Portable air conditioners operate by drawing in warm air from the surrounding area through special inlets on the portable air conditioner unit. This air is circulated through the unit and is cooled by evaporator coils with refrigerant running through them and then blown out through the front. Remaining hot air that was drawn through the unit is vented out of the room with an exhaust hose.

Through this process, air is continually “cycled” in such a way that warm air in the area is continually drawn through the portable air conditioner unit and replaced with cooler air. This cools the room to the desired temperature.

Types of Portable Air Conditioner Units

Single-Hosed Portable ACs

Exhaust hoses are required to vent a portable air conditioner. A single-hosed unit has one hose running from the back of the portable AC to the vent kit (more information about vent kits found below) where hot air can be expelled.

Dual-Hosed Portable ACs

A dual-hosed unit has one hose that is designated as the exhaust hose to vent hot air and another as the intake hose to draw in additional air (usually from the outside). Dual-hosed PACs typically provide more cooling power and have a higher cooling BTU. An additional intake hose is required to draw in extra air because with higher BTU units, air is cycled in large amounts and hot air is expelled at a faster rate, lowering air pressure in the room. An intake hose bringing in additional air into the room helps to stabilize the air pressure.

Heat and Cool Units

A heat and cool portable air conditioner is a PAC that provides both cooling and heating options. The heating function works by reversing the normal process of how portable air conditioners cool. Instead of expelling hot air and blowing cool air out, the heater function expels cool air and blows warm air into the room. Heat and cool portable air conditioning units are not meant to be designated heaters and should not be used in environments where the ambient temperature falls below 50°F.

Units with Dehumidifier Functionality

Some portable air conditioners have a special “dehumidifier” mode. While almost all portable air conditioners expel some moisture from the air through the exhaust hose, a few have a special dehumidifier mode as well. While turned on, these portable air conditioners cool as normal but also expel quite a bit of moisture through the exhaust hose.

Server Room PACs

Portable ACs are frequently used by IT departments in their server rooms, since effective cooling of servers helps them run faster and last longer. They are a cost-effective choice for closets and small rooms that aren't cooled by a central HVAC system or need supplemental cooling for best server performance. In this type of application the unit will often require through a drop ceiling. If you need to cool a server room, choose a portable AC with at least 12,000 BTUs of cooling power for the best performance.

Commercial Portable ACs

Portable air conditioners designed for commercial use in warehouses and other spaces without central cooling usually offer higher BTU ratings (12,000 and higher) than regular residential models. They may also feature a dual-hose design to maximize cooling capacity.

Portable Air Conditioner Accessories

Filters

Like central AC units, portable air conditioners have replaceable air filters that clean the air as it is drawn through the unit. The replaceable activated carbon filters usually last for three months and should be replaced routinely.

Vent Kits

Portable ACs are typically vented through a window kit to the outside. A window vent kit consisting of a window place and an adapter for the plate is included with almost all portable air conditioner units. The adapter is used to fit the hose into the window plate, which is then set into the window frame. Window vent kits are designed for use in vertical and horizontal sliding windows.

In some instances where venting through a window is not possible, venting through the ceiling with a ceiling vent kit is another viable option.

Energy Efficiency

One of the biggest advantages of using a portable air conditioner is the ability to cool only a specific area. Portable air conditioners have caster wheels that allow them to be easily moved from room to room. While central air conditioning cools all rooms evenly, portable air conditioners can provide more cooling for the warmest areas or even act as a suitable replacement for central air conditioning. By not having to turn down the thermostat to comfortably cool all living areas, you can save a considerable amount on electricity.