N Haidu all-media reporter Ma Junjie text/picture
In late June, Fuzhou has had many hot weather, in the steamer-like weather, some citizens feel that the refrigeration capacity of air conditioning at home seems to have declined, is the air conditioning also like people will "heat stroke"?
Some Fuzhou citizens reported that under the recent high temperatures, the refrigeration effect of air conditioning seems to be a little "ineffective"
Can air conditioners also "heat stroke"?
The basic principle of air conditioning refrigeration is to rely on the vaporization of liquid refrigerant in the evaporator to absorb heat and cool down. Taking the common split air conditioner as an example, the gaseous refrigerant coming out of the evaporator comes to the outdoor unit through the pipe for pressurization and cooling, and then re-enters the evaporator of the air conditioner for vaporization, so that the room temperature will also drop down over and over again.
However, during the use of the air conditioner, the air conditioner itself will also generate heat, and the air conditioner has certain requirements for the working environment.
The new version of the national standard GB/T 7725-2022 "Room Air Conditioner", which was officially implemented on May 1, 2023, mentions that the usual working environment temperature of air conditioners in temperate climates is 43°C. If the working environment exceeds the heat load capacity of the ordinary air conditioner, the air conditioner may activate the overheating protection mechanism for shutdown protection. At this time, the air conditioner seems to have symptoms of "heat stroke", and it is so hot that it is weak and "strikes".
However, even in the middle of summer, Fuzhou rarely sees a high temperature of 43 °C, and since the first high temperature day of the year in Fuzhou on June 21, until the 27th, the maximum temperature in the urban area is only around 37 °C.
Professionals: Air conditioners are also afraid of "heat"
The reporter visited some businesses selling air conditioners in Fuzhou, and the sales staff of different brands of air conditioners have slightly different introductions to the precautions for using air conditioners. However, they have some similar views on the state and precautions of air conditioning in hot weather.
The sales staff of a merchant on Yangqiao Road told reporters that the high temperature working environment will be taken into account in the design and manufacturing process of the air conditioner and leave a certain "margin". While high temperatures do not necessarily induce overheating protection, refrigeration efficiency can vary.
A salesperson at an air-conditioning store on Jinshan Avenue said that the location of the air-conditioning unit will affect the refrigeration efficiency of the air-conditioner. The air conditioner should be installed in a position that avoids direct sunlight as much as possible, especially in the west of the sun, and the air conditioner should be installed at an appropriate heat dissipation distance.
The refrigeration efficiency of an air conditioner is affected by the ambient temperature of the outside unit
"In addition to normal electromechanical and refrigerant maintenance, keeping the relevant parts of the internal and external units of the air conditioner clean, and avoiding dust accumulation and hindering heat dissipation, the heat dissipation environment of the external unit should also be considered." The air-conditioning maintenance staff of "Haidu Daojia" told reporters that if the ambient temperature of the weather is around 40 °C, and the sun continues to shine or the temperature of the surrounding space is high, the heat in the cavity of the air conditioner will rise sharply, and in some cases may even exceed 60 °C, and affect the efficiency of air conditioning and refrigeration.
The temperature of the air conditioner can reach more than 60°C
To sum up, it is indeed possible for the air conditioner to "suffer from heat stroke", and the components of the air conditioner will trigger protection and cause shutdown when the temperature is too high. In addition, factors such as improper installation, poor maintenance, and excessive burden may lead to a decrease in the refrigeration efficiency of the air conditioner.
Editor: Sun Meng