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Air conditioner efficiency: what do they change other than using more materials? (aussie.zone)

submitted 17 hours ago* (last edited 16 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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[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 hours ago

Cars have micro channel evap coils, central does as well. Not sure about ductless however, probably not unless it's outdoor

Reversing valve is typically in heat pump applications, allows the refrigerant to flow in reverse effectively supplying heat to the space instead of extracting it.

I'm used to central AC mostly, but I have worked with and used ductless, I'm not overly a fan myself. Controls are too much. I like simple relays and switches, less logic on the board. I want to be able to repair failures easily should they arise.