Power consumption (cooling/heating)
Power consumption of the air conditioner in cooling and heating mode; for models without a heating mode, only one number is given. This parameter should not be confused with the effective capacity of the air conditioner. Effective capacity is the amount of heat that the unit can "pump" into the environment or the room. This item also indicates the amount of electricity consumed by the device from the network.
In all air conditioners, the power consumption is several times lower than the effective capacity. It is due to the peculiarities of the operation of such units. At the same time, devices with the same efficiency may differ in power consumption. In such cases, the more economical models usually cost more, but with continued use, the difference can quickly pay off with less electricity consumption.
Also, two points related to electrical engineering depend on this nuance. Firstly, power consumption affects power requirements: models up to 3 – 3.5 kW can be connected to a regular outlet, while higher power consumption requires a three-phase connection (see below). Secondly, the power consumption is needed to calculate the load on the mains and the necessary parameters of additional equipment: stabilizers, emergency generators, uninterruptible power supplies, etc.
Air flow
The amount of air that an air conditioner can pass through itself in an hour.
This parameter depends on the power and the overall level of the device, but there is no strict dependence here: models with the same effective capacity may differ in air circulation speed. In such cases, it is worth proceeding from the fact that a higher speed contributes to uniform cooling/heating of the air and reduces the time required to create a given microclimate; on the other hand, higher-performing air conditioners use more energy, are larger and/or cost more.
Dehumidification
The rate at which moisture is removed from the air when the air conditioner is operating for dehumidification.
The amount of excess moisture that accumulates in the air depends on several parameters. There are special formulas and even calculator programmes that allow you to calculate this amount for a particular situation. These calculation methods can be found in special sources. It should also be said here that air conditioners are not full-fledged
dehumidifiers, so their performance in this mode is generally low.
Noise level (max/min)
The maximum and minimum level of noise produced by the air conditioner during operation; for split and multi split systems (see "Type"), by default, it is indicated for the indoor unit, and the data for the outdoor unit can be specified in the notes.
The noise level is indicated in decibels; this is a non-linear unit, so it is easiest to evaluate this parameter using comparative tables — they can be found in special sources. Here we note that, according to sanitary standards, the maximum level of constant noise for residential premises is 40 dB during the day and 30 dB at night; for offices, this figure is 50 dB, and in industrial premises higher volume levels may be allowed. So it is worth choosing an air conditioner according to this indicator, taking into account where and how it is planned to use it.
As for specific numbers, among the quietest modern air conditioners, there are models with a minimum performance of
23 – 24 dB,
22 – 21 dB, and sometimes even
20 dB or less. However, units at
31 – 31 dB and
33 – 34 dB are not uncommon; such loudness, usually, does not create discomfort in the daytime, but at night it is no longer desirable. However, in some cases, a louder air conditioner may be the best choice: noise reduction affects the cost, sometimes quite noticeably, and if the device
...is not planned to be turned on at night, you can not overpay for additional noise reduction.Noise level (outdoor unit)
The maximum noise level in decibels (dB) produced by the outdoor (outdoor) air conditioner unit during normal operation.
In household split systems, the noise level from the external unit is usually in the range from 40 to 55 dB. The lower this indicator, the quieter the unit operates and the more comfortable it is to use. Sanitary standards require the noise level for residential buildings from permanent sources to be no higher than 40 dB during the day and 30 dB at night, and in offices background noise of up to 60 dB is completely acceptable. The easiest way to estimate specific noise levels is using comparative tables. So, 40 dB is the level of a quiet conversation or TV at medium volume, 50 dB is approximately the normal tone of human speech, and 60 dB is the level of a loud voice. More detailed data can be found in special sources.
It is important to note that indoors the background noise level from the outdoor unit will be significantly less than outdoors. However, if the noise does not bother you when the air conditioner is running, this does not mean that it does not bother your neighbors. With open windows, the external unit can become a fairly strong source of noise. Therefore, for apartment housing stock it is advisable to give preference to low-noise models of climate control equipment.
Cooling EER
Cooling factor EER provided by the air conditioner. It is calculated as the ratio of the useful operating power of the air conditioner in cooling mode to the electricity consumption. For example, a device that delivers 6 kW of operating power in cooling mode and consumes 2 kW will have an EER 6/2 = 3.
The higher this indicator, the more economical the air conditioner is and the higher its cooling energy efficiency class (see below). Each class has its clear requirements for EER.
It is worth noting that this indicator is considered not very reliable, and in the European Union another coefficient has been introduced that is closer to practice — SEER. See Energy efficiency SEER (cooling) for more details.
Heating COP
The heating coefficient COP provided by the air conditioner. It is calculated as the ratio of the heat output of the air conditioner in heating mode to the electricity consumption. For example, if a device consumes 2 kW and produces 5 kW of thermal power, then the COP will be 5/2 = 2.5.
The higher this indicator, the more economical the air conditioner is and the higher its energy efficiency class when heating (see below). Each class has its own clear COP requirements.
Note that COP values are usually higher than the values of another important coefficient — EER (see above). It is due to the technical features of the air conditioners.
It is also worth mentioning that since 2013, a more advanced and closer-to-practice coefficient, SCOP, has been put into use in Europe. See "Energy efficiency SCOP (heating)" for more details.
Seasonal heating SCOP
Seasonal heating coefficient SCOP provided by the air conditioner.
Like the COP (see above), this parameter describes the overall efficiency of the air conditioner in heating operation and is calculated by the formula: thermal (useful) power divided by electricity consumption. The higher the coefficient, the more efficient the device, respectively. And the difference between COP and SCOP is that COP is measured under strictly standard conditions (outside temperature +7 °C, full workload), and SCOP takes into account seasonal temperature fluctuations (for Europe), changes in air conditioner operating modes, the presence of an inverter and some other options. Thanks to this, SCOP is closer to real indicators, and since 2013 this coefficient has been taken as the main one in the territory of the European Union. However, this parameter is also used for air conditioners supplied to other countries with a similar climate.
Energy efficiency EER (cooling)
The general energy efficiency class that the air conditioner complies with in cooling mode.
This parameter is indicated by letters from A (highest efficiency) and beyond. It is directly related to the value of the EER factor (see "Cooling EER"): each energy efficiency class corresponds to a certain range of factors (for example, B — from 3.0 to 3.2). Specific coefficient values for each class can be found in special tables; here we note that more efficient air conditioners are more expensive, but this difference can pay off due to less electricity consumption.
