Channel air conditioner: what is it, how to install it

Installation of channel air conditioners

Installing a ducted air conditioner is time consuming, but not that hard work. For its installation, you need to prepare the following set of tools:

• building level;
• manometric and vacuum pump;
• perforator.

Expendable materials:

• bracket;
• drainage hose;
• insulation;
• dowels and other fastening material.

Consumables are usually part of the air conditioner kit, but if they are not available, it is worth acquiring the missing parts. Next, you can do the installation of equipment:

Laying and fastening of the route is carried out using clips and dowels. If the air conditioner is installed at the stage of repairing the premises, all communications can be laid in a strobe.To cut a copper tube, do not use an ordinary hacksaw, which will leave various small debris in the tube, which, if it enters the compressor, can disable the entire air conditioner. Use a special pipe cutter for this purpose.

The installation of the cable channel takes place at a slight slope so that there is no condensate and air blockage in the drainage hose. Make a hole with a diameter of 55 mm and lay a box to it.

Installing the panel from the indoor unit. Here you need to follow the universal rule for all types of channel equipment, regardless of manufacturer and model. At least 15 cm must be retreated from the ceiling and the corner of the wall. The distance from the curtain to the panel is at least 10 cm. The panel must be fixed strictly horizontally using a level. This will prevent condensation from escaping. If this rule is not followed, the equipment will often become clogged with dust, which will lead to a decrease in productivity, since the air intake will deteriorate.

Installing the bracket and connecting the route to the indoor unit

Here, no matter in what sequence you begin to work, it is important not to bend the copper tubes much.

Then we go outside and take insurance with us.

We fix the brackets horizontally on the wall using the building level. This work must be done by two people as the outdoor unit is quite heavy.

After the brackets are fixed, we put the external unit on them and fix it with bolts.

Rolling track. This stage of work involves the expansion of copper tubes at the points of their contact. In this case, rolling equipment is used along with nozzles. We start rolling the tube by putting a nut on it.It is necessary to ensure a perfect connection so that the freon does not leak. Also, do not overtighten the nuts - copper is a very soft metal.

We carry out the vacuuming of the route using a special pump, which will remove all moisture and dust from it. After turning it on, a port will open on the pressure gauge, which must be closed when the arrow shows a vacuum and the pump itself turns off. If the arrow does not drop, it means that air is “poisoning” somewhere, so it’s worth checking all the connections and tightening the nuts more tightly. You also need to check how well the rolling is done.
Freon filling. Unscrew the supply hose with a hex wrench

It is important not to confuse it with the suction tube, as the check valve will fail. In this case, you must follow the sequence - initially supply, then suction

This stage of work also involves checking the electrical connections and fixing the freon pressure.

If all the work is done correctly, you can test the air conditioner in different operating modes.

Operating principle

A ducted air conditioner works in exactly the same way as any other. The basis of the device is a heat pump. It consists of a closed circuit filled with a special gas (refrigerant) (two radiators connected by pipes) and a compressor that makes this gas move in a circle.

The principle of operation of the elements of the duct air conditioner

"Pumping" of heat is carried out due to the alternating compression and expansion of the refrigerant. Compression takes place in the external radiator of the circuit, while the temperature of the gas increases significantly so that it becomes hot.Due to the temperature difference, heat exchange between it and the outside air begins, during which the refrigerant gives off heat energy received from the air in the room. To make heat transfer more intense, the external radiator is blown by a fan.

The increase in pressure in the external radiator is carried out by installing a certain device at its outlet - a throttle, which passes gas in very small quantities. Thus, the refrigerant discharged by the compressor accumulates in front of the throttle and is highly compressed. The simplest version of the throttle is a long thin tube (capillary).

Through the throttle, the liquid refrigerant gradually seeps into the indoor radiator located in the room (in the indoor unit). The pressure here is low, so the liquid evaporates, turning back into a gas. The internal radiator, respectively, is called the evaporator.

This is how the air conditioner works

It turns out that a small amount of gas occupies the entire volume of the internal radiator, that is, it expands. Because of this, the refrigerant cools down greatly and begins to heat up from the internal air (there is also airflow here). Having absorbed a certain amount of heat, the gas enters the compressor, which pumps it into an external radiator, and the whole cycle repeats.

Most modern air conditioners are designed in such a way that it is possible to redirect the refrigerant flows and thereby turn the external radiator from a condenser into an evaporator, and the internal one from an evaporator into a condenser. In this case, the heat pump will begin to "pump" the heat in the opposite direction, that is, the air conditioner will operate in heating mode.

It is clear that with a decrease in the outside temperature, this ratio will be less and less favorable, until at a certain moment the efficiency of the air conditioner does not turn out to be zero at all. Therefore, it makes sense to operate this device in heating mode only at those outdoor temperatures that are recommended by the manufacturer.

The principle of operation of the air conditioner

Duct equipment works just like any other air conditioning device. The heat pump is the basis. It contains a so-called refrigerant. This is a special gas. There are also 2 radiators connected by tubes. They create a closed loop. Finally, there is a compressor in the composition. It forces the gas to circulate in a circle. Heat is pumped through the successive compression and expansion of the described gas.

Compression can be detected in the external radiator, at the same time the temperature of the gas increases. There is a temperature difference with the outside air, which causes heat exchange. The refrigerant transfers the thermal energy concentrated in it. It accumulates as a result of interaction with the air in the room.

Due to the installation of an external radiator on the street, the pressure in the throttle area increases. This is a special device that passes gas in a dosed manner. It turns out that the refrigerant is pumped by the compressor and accumulates, after which its significant compression is observed. An elongated thin tube, which is called a capillary, is the simplest version of a throttle.

After cooling, the gas condenses, that is, it passes into a liquid state.When condensed, the gas becomes a source of a significant amount of heat. It is formed more than during cooling, and for this reason the efficiency of the heat pump increases significantly. Therefore, the outdoor heat exchanger is called a condenser. Bypassing the throttle, the liquid refrigerant gradually moves into the internal radiator, which is localized in the indoor unit. There is a low pressure here, so the liquid is subject to evaporation. In fact, it turns into a gas. Accordingly, the evaporator is called the internal radiator.

The volume of the internal radiator occupies a small amount of gas. Accordingly, its expansion is observed. For the same reason, the refrigerant cools down a lot. Its heating comes from the internal air, since there is also airflow here. Taking a certain amount of heat, the gas goes to the compressor. Next, the system pumps air into this external radiator, and then the cycle repeats.

In modern models of air conditioners, it is possible to change the flow of refrigerant. This allows you to give the outdoor radiator the function of an evaporator and, conversely, turn the indoor unit into a condenser. At the same time, the heat pump moves heat in the opposite direction, that is, the air conditioner works for heating. There is a paradoxical effect. A person receives heat from the cold outside air. Of course, this will require electricity to operate the compressor, but in the ratio it does not look like 1 to 1, as is the case with electric heaters such as heating elements.

Here the proportions are 1 to 4. That is, for every kilowatt of electricity consumed by the user, he manages to get about 4 kW of heat.It turns out that this ratio becomes less favorable as the outside temperature decreases. This continues until the air conditioner does not work at all with the desired efficiency. It is possible to use the device in heating mode only when the outside air indicators are at the levels recommended by the manufacturer.

Installation and preventive maintenance of the air conditioner

Next, the question arises of carrying out installation work and further care for the split system. Purely theoretically installation of air conditioning in the apartment hands is possible, but in practice it is difficult to implement, because:

• you will need a large number of tools and consumables;
• the processes of pipe rolling, pressure testing and evacuation of the circuit require skill and experience, without which the device will refuse to work after start-up or malfunctions will soon be detected;
• only trained people can take into account all the subtleties of drilling walls, fixing blocks and laying wiring.

About installation duct or cassette air conditioner in an apartment with your own hands, all the more, there can be no question. This is a complex multi-stage process with a number of calculations and purely technical features.

Speaking about cleaning the air conditioner in the apartment, they mean its preventive maintenance, which includes:

• cleaning of mechanical filters, fans, heat exchangers and external panels of units;
• replacement of fine filters;
• diagnostics - measuring the working pressure, checking the tightness of the route, refueling with freon if necessary.

If problems are identified during the diagnostics, then further repair and restoration work is carried out, which are paid separately.

It is enough to do preventive maintenance a couple of times a year, and it is advisable to clean the mechanical filters once a month with an average pollution of the environment. You can clean the air conditioner in the apartment in this way yourself. How do they do it?

1. Open or remove the outdoor panel from the indoor unit by pressing the side latches and pulling it towards you.
2. Remove the filters and wash them in soapy water under running water. You can use a dishwashing detergent.
3. Dry well naturally and install them back.
4. Close the plastic panel or put it back if it was removed.

Installation of a channel air conditioner

Installing the fixture consists of the following steps:

Selecting a location for fixing the outdoor unit. It is desirable that it be on the north side or in the shade. Residents of apartments in multi-storey buildings should mount the unit near the balcony, which will facilitate the maintenance of the device. The block is located below the internal analogue at a distance specified by the manufacturer.

1. At the installation site of the inner part, a hole with a diameter of 8 centimeters is drilled, which will serve for laying connecting communications. The final size depends on the identical duct value.
2. Brackets are fixed on the wall, the external unit is installed on them. It must be placed strictly horizontally. The maximum allowable difference between the wall and the fixture is 100 mm.
3. The interior of the unit is mounted in the room. The best option would be to fix the unit directly to the ceiling or wall, which will eliminate the vibration of equipment. Otherwise, vibration dampers should be used.
4. Further installation of the duct air conditioner is to connect the electrics. A separate wire is drawn from to the indoor unit. Its cross section should not be less than 1.5 square meters. mm. The main line connection is via a circuit breaker. Then the terminals of both blocks are connected.

The location of the external and internal units of the air conditioner relative to each other

normal distance between blocks

The normal installation of an air conditioner in a room involves a small length of the freon route between the units of the split system. On average, this value is from 5 to 10 meters.

Firstly, it is important in terms of interior aesthetics. The shorter the connecting line, the less it needs to be sewn into decorative boxes that look neat, but do not add beauty to the design.

Secondly, air conditioner installation price is formed taking into account the length of the freon route. Each extra meter adds to the total cost of about 800 rubles. For devices with higher power, a larger diameter of the pipeline will be required, and, consequently, the price will increase.

Duct air conditioner with fresh air supply

This air conditioning device provides for the connection of an air supply device. A ducted air conditioner with an influx of fresh air does not replace a complete building ventilation system. But the influx of air masses is able to refresh the recirculated flow, complementing and improving the ventilation of volumetric areas and buildings.

Device structure:

• body + noise, heat insulation
• fan
• colorifier
• automation system
• filter
• filter condition sensor
• inlet valve.

The supply unit is mounted with an air duct, which is subsequently cut into the supply adapter.If it is necessary to mix the street air flow into several rooms at once, a tee of the required number of air duct branches is used, which is mounted immediately after the supply unit. The percentage of mixing is up to 30%.

The duct device, the supply unit are equipped with separate remote controls, they work independently of each other.

System start

Having finished all the work on switching, proceed to the launch. The system must be prepared by removing all air, nitrogen and moisture from it. They get into the pipes during their installation. If the system is not cleaned of foreign gases, then the load on the compressor will increase, and its useful life will decrease.

Moisture also has a negative effect on the performance of the system. The composition of freon pumped into the air conditioner contains oils. It is designed to lubricate the internal elements of the system. Since the oil has a hygroscopic structure, it will lose its effectiveness when mixed with water. In turn, this will lead to premature wear of the system elements.

It becomes clear that this operation is necessary. The system will start, of course, but for a short time. Removal of air and other foreign matter is carried out in two ways:

• the inlet of freon into the system;
• vacuum pump.

The first method can be carried out due to a small additional supply of freon pumped into the indoor unit. It is only suitable for trails no longer than 6 meters. That is why a vacuum pump is required for longer communications. If you blow a long system from indoor unit, then there will be no freon for its operation.

Control valve at the bottom of the block

freon inlet

Before starting the operation on the outdoor unit, the plugs and covers on the valves are unscrewed. Next, the valve of the indoor unit on the larger diameter pipe opens for 1 second. This is done based on the design of the valve. Typically a hex wrench is used.

Having supplied freon to the system and creating excess pressure, it is necessary to relieve it. This is done with the help of a spool on the same pipe, by pinching with a finger. At the same time, you need to leave a small amount of freon in the system so that fresh air does not enter there. This procedure is repeated a couple of times.

After its completion, a plug is screwed onto the spool, and the valves on both pipelines are fully opened. To check the quality of the joints, you can smear them with soap suds.

Vacuum pump

This procedure requires not only a vacuum pump, but also a high pressure hose. You will also need two pressure gauges - for low pressure and high pressure.

The hose is connected to the spool of the thick pipeline. In this case, both valves must be closed. After switching the vacuum pump to the system, it is turned on and left to work for 15-30 minutes. This time is quite enough to pump out air and other impurities from the pipelines.

Vacuum pump with pressure gauge

After turning off the pump, it must be left connected to the pipeline with the valve closed. In this position, the system should stand for about 30 minutes. During this period of time, pressure indicators are monitored. If all connections are tight, the instrument arrows should remain in place.

If the readings begin to change - somewhere poor-quality sealing. As a rule, these are the places where pipes are connected to the blocks. Their additional broach eliminates the problem.If it does not help, then the leak is detected with soap suds.

System pressure control

If the complete tightness of the system is confirmed, then leaving the pump connected, the valve on the thick pipeline opens. After the characteristic sounds fading, indicating that the pipes are filled with freon, the pump hose is unscrewed. It is better to do this with gloves so as not to get frostbite from freon residues. Now you can open the valve on the thin pipeline. Everything is ready - the system can be turned on.

In the video, see how the evacuation of the nose is carried out:

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to note that the installation and launch of both air conditioners and split systems is a rather complicated undertaking. It is necessary to have the skills of construction and installation works, to understand the technical documentation and materials. That is why, in most cases, specialists are involved in such work.

Moreover, some large split systems are installed only by representatives of the manufacturer's plant. Otherwise, the service warranty will be void.

We also note that the launch of air conditioning systems using vacuum pumps is carried out in Russia and neighboring countries. In world practice they are not used. For example, the same Israel where air conditioners are not turned off all year round. Why this is done is a question for foreign experts.

Source

Advantages and disadvantages of ducted air conditioners

In modern houses with a sufficient ceiling height, ducted air conditioners can be installed, which in this case serve as household appliances.

Main advantages:

1. The duct air conditioner is controlled by an infrastructural or wired control panel.
2. Hidden installation of equipment, as well as its outlet and inlet air ducts, will not affect the interior of the room.
3. Fresh air can be mixed in, which ensures an air flow that is better enriched with oxygen.
4. One indoor air conditioner unit is able to cool the air in several rooms at once.

Negative sides:

1. Quite problematic wiring, calculation, as well as the selection of air ducts. Therefore, do not trust such work to unqualified people.
2. Channel equipment can only be installed in buildings with high ceilings.
3. When operating one indoor unit for several rooms, the same temperature will be maintained, which in some cases is inconvenient.

Ducted air conditioners are the best in creating comfort conditions in multi-room buildings. They are almost invisible in the interior, so you will fully experience the advantages of such equipment. In addition, this type of air conditioning is quite popular because of its price and decent technical characteristics.

Calculation and selection methods

The simplest and fastest method for calculating a split system is based on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. For 10 sq. meters - 1000 W of cooling capacity. However, it must be borne in mind that such a calculation gives an error of about 30% and can be applied to rooms with a ceiling height of not more than 3 meters and rooms without a large number of people and equipment that generates a large amount of additional heat. More accurate calculations are made using formulas that take into account the characteristics of the premises.

For rooms with ceiling heights up to 3 meters

N

cd

= 35*

F

pom

+ 150*

n

of people

+ 350*

n

technology

+

q

*

F

windows

,W

• F
  pom
  - area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room (m 2);

• 35 - the value of heat gain through external walls (W / m 2);
• n
  of people

• 150 —
  heat gain from one person in a calm state (W);

• n
  technology

• F
  windows
  - window area (m 2);

• q
  - the coefficient of the average daily heat that falls on the window.

1. if the windows face north - 40 W / m 2
2. if the windows face south - 366 W / m 2
3. if the windows face west - 350 W / m 2
4. if the windows face east - 309 W / m 2

For rooms with a ceiling height above 3 meters

N

cd

=

q

*

V

pom

+ 130*

n

of people

+ 350*

n

technology

,W

• V
  pom
  - the volume of the room (m 3);

• n
  of people
  - the number of people in the room;

• 130 - heat gain from one person in a calm state (W);

• n
  technology
  - the number of equipment (computers);

• 350 - heat gain from one computer (W);.
• q
  - coefficient of average daily heat in the room.

q - coefficient of average daily heat is equal to:

1. if the windows face north - 30 W / m 2
2. if the windows face south - 40 W / m 2
3. if the windows face west - 35 W / m 2
4. if the windows face east - 32 W / m 2

The calculation results are also not entirely accurate and may give an error in the calculations within 10-15%, but usually this is enough for the practical selection of equipment. For more accurate calculations, it is necessary to refer to the special academic educational literature, which provides the appropriate formulas for the calculation.

The second indicator that must be considered when choosing a ducted air conditioner is the static air pressure.Since the air intake from the room and the air supply to the room are carried out by the indoor unit through air ducts of different lengths and designs, it is necessary to correctly calculate the losses in them, as well as when they turn, in the distribution and intake grilles in order to correctly select the indoor unit by the value of the static head. Otherwise, the entire pressure of the air flow will be lost to overcome such resistances. All resistances must be taken into account and an indoor unit with a static head of 20% more than the losses must be selected. Such losses depend on the speed, section and type of duct. Losses also occur in the air inlet and outlet grilles, which are also calculated as a function of the air volume flow. For a more accurate calculation of losses, you can use specialized reference literature or contact qualified specialists.

If it is necessary to supply fresh air, it must be taken into account that the maximum amount of fresh air admixture for ducted air conditioners is up to 30%. When the air conditioner works for heat in winter, its stable operation takes place at outdoor temperatures up to minus 10 ÷ 15 C. If the outdoor air temperature is below minus 20 C and the air conditioner works for heat, then additional heating of fresh air is necessary in some other way.

Pondering install a modern split system to their house or apartment, people often wonder how the channel split system works? The principle of operation of the duct air conditioner
based on the transmission and filtration of air masses using a system of air shafts.
The difference from a conventional air conditioner is that such equipment is mounted in an air duct system. In this regard, it is necessary to plan the installation of channel equipment under construction
or major renovation.

Before delving into the intricacies of work, it is necessary to understand what this system is, because many simply do not know what a duct-type air conditioner is. Ducted air conditioning is a special split system that maintains the required temperature in medium and large rooms. It consists of 2 main blocks
:

• internal;
• external.

The outdoor unit contains a compressor, a fan and a condenser heat exchanger. The internal one includes an evaporator heat exchanger, a fan with an electric motor, a volute diffuser, a liquid collection tray, an air chamber and pipes for communications. In addition to these two blocks, the system should include air ducts and grilles, but they are already selected individually for each room.

Operating principle

A ducted air conditioner works in exactly the same way as any other. The basis of the device is a heat pump. It consists of a closed circuit filled with a special gas (refrigerant) (two radiators connected by pipes) and a compressor that makes this gas move in a circle.

The principle of operation of the elements of the duct air conditioner

"Pumping" of heat is carried out due to the alternating compression and expansion of the refrigerant. Compression takes place in the external radiator of the circuit, while the temperature of the gas increases significantly so that it becomes hot.Due to the temperature difference, heat exchange between it and the outside air begins, during which the refrigerant gives off heat energy received from the air in the room. To make heat transfer more intense, the external radiator is blown by a fan.

The increase in pressure in the external radiator is carried out by installing a certain device at its outlet - a throttle, which passes gas in very small quantities. Thus, the refrigerant discharged by the compressor accumulates in front of the throttle and is highly compressed. The simplest version of the throttle is a long thin tube (capillary).

Through the throttle, the liquid refrigerant gradually seeps into the indoor radiator located in the room (in the indoor unit). The pressure here is low, so the liquid evaporates, turning back into a gas. The internal radiator, respectively, is called the evaporator.

This is how the air conditioner works

It turns out that a small amount of gas occupies the entire volume of the internal radiator, that is, it expands. Because of this, the refrigerant cools down greatly and begins to heat up from the internal air (there is also airflow here). Having absorbed a certain amount of heat, the gas enters the compressor, which pumps it into an external radiator, and the whole cycle repeats.

Most modern air conditioners are designed in such a way that it is possible to redirect the refrigerant flows and thereby turn the external radiator from a condenser into an evaporator, and the internal one from an evaporator into a condenser. In this case, the heat pump will begin to "pump" the heat in the opposite direction, that is, the air conditioner will operate in heating mode.

It is clear that with a decrease in the outside temperature, this ratio will be less and less favorable, until at a certain moment the efficiency of the air conditioner does not turn out to be zero at all. Therefore, it makes sense to operate this device in heating mode only at those outdoor temperatures that are recommended by the manufacturer.