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Air conditioner efficiency: what do they change other than using more materials? (aussie.zone)
submitted 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) by WaterWaiver@aussie.zone to c/askscience@lemmy.world
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Context: I am not a fridgy, I work with electronics. I would love to answer my question by tearing open a dozen different aircon units, but I'm sorely lacking in that department.

Question: Are there some optional components or fancier materials that are simply too expensive to use in the lower end aircons; but are used in the higher efficiency expensive units? The range of COP/EER I see advertised is wild, from 2 to 6 or so.

I already vaguely understand that these things help efficiency:

  • Bigger indoor & outdoor coils with more metal in them (working fluids get returned hotter/colder gives better carnot efficiency)
  • Operating compressor at its optimal power level (I believe they have an efficiency vs power curve with a single peak, so it's better to use a bigger compressor if you need more power output)
  • Inverter control instead of on/off control (most situations, but technically some use cases will have them on par)
  • Choice of refrigerant (but that seems to be controlled in my market, I have not seen many options)

Is there anything else they change? Or is that most of the difference?

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[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 3 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

How is being a heatpump (a reversible air conditioner) automatically more efficient?

If you have 2 units using identical design, but only add a reversing valve, I don't see how the heat pump version would be any more efficient at cooling.