The use of Artificial Intelligence in Air conditioners is rather an interesting phenomenon. It would be safe to declare that AI has ‘grown on’ us and has crept into our lifestyle to assist us in our ease of living. Much to the dismay of the sceptics, Artificial Intelligence is nowhere near the catastrophic disaster that the Hollywood flick ‘Terminator’ predicted it to be! So far, it remains to be a technology that has been created to ‘serve mankind’ and not the other way around. But before we try and understand the Use of Artificial intelligence in AC, let us understand what AI is in the basic sense.
Essentially, Artificial Intelligence comprises an imitation of human intelligence that is analyzed and processed by machines or Computer systems. Artificial Intelligence is a comprehensive technology that includes expert systems, speech recognition, face recognization, language processing, and temperature sensing, to name a few. Some advanced versions of Artificial Intelligence also comprise Sentiment analysis.
So, it is not surprising that ‘Alexa’ has entered our homes and living rooms. Now, with the help of simple voice commands, you can ‘make’ the machine control the lights, the heating system, the cooling system, the security systems, read out the news, or even sing you a bedtime Lullaby. That is called some ‘smart living,’ and not surprisingly, the current population is loving it.
Likewise, AI is featured in our home appliances to decipher our needs and ‘act’ accordingly. Be it the refrigerators, the dishwasher, or the Air conditioners. As the Air conditioner is one of the most used appliances across the world, let us take a look at how Artificial Intelligence has managed to ease the load of use and the bills alike.
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The Application Of Artificial Intelligence In Air Conditioners
There are various parts and features of a basic HVAC system. Here, the AI is featured to take direct control over the outputs to bring about rapid ease of use and savings in the long term.
The Controls
You might not have guessed it, but there are various factors in which the heating or cooling efficiency of the HVAC is altered. This could be because of the fluctuations in the temperatures outside, rapid flipping of the rooms’ doors in question, or even the fact that the person entering the room ‘carries’ their temperature and alters the ventilation. Thus, these are the overall ways in which the heating and cooling of the HVAC are altered.
The other factor where the working of the HVAC is altered is the size and functionality of the room. For example, in the case of a restaurant, where an internal kitchen is functioning, the cooling or the rate will be quite different from an average-sized bedroom.
Now, the AI featured in an HVAC can easily detect such fluctuations, changes, and requirements. This way, it automatically changes the cooling requirements accordingly, without the user worrying about the ‘where,’ ‘which,’ ‘why,’ and how of the entire process.
The Ventilation Systems
The best ventilation systems comprise an understanding of the outdoor airflow. However, the natural airflow is usually altered during the winter and summer. This means that if there is an increase in the airflow, the heat required will also increase to maintain the optimum indoor temperature.
It is a well-known fact that Air handlers consume far less energy as compared to the heating and cooling systems in an HVAC. Nevertheless, there has to be a specific system that can determine the outdoor airflow rate. Also, one must bear in mind that over ventilation or under ventilation can lead to wastage of energy in the long run, which also has grave effects on the indoor air quality overall. So, one can change all of that with the help of AI-operated Ventilation systems.
Artificial intelligence in ac senses the number of people it is dealing with and also the concentration of Air pollutants. This helps determine the perfect airflow rate to maintain a ‘comfortable’ environment. The AI operates in a manner that the ventilation system does not reduce the airflow below the minimum value of building codes.
The Heating and Air Conditioning
Did you know that we as humans also have an optimal temperature where our productivity is at a peak? Yes, according to the study conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), this is 22 degrees Celsius. Also, there is a divergence in the quality of the indoor air quality in case of fluctuations of the temperatures to any extremes.
So, how does AI help you with this? Well, it simply alerts the users with notifications regarding the upgrade of old equipment with the required essentials. Other than the HVAC, this is also found in Boilers, Chillers, and Space Heaters, to name a few.
Also Read: Best Air Purifiers in India
The Energy Efficiency
One of the main and widespread applications of AI in HVAC is the fact that it helps in Energy efficiency and long-term savings. But, How is Ai used in ac? Let us take a look:
The HVAC upgrades that feature the AI comprise Airside Economizers and Energy Recovery Ventilation. Here, it is the Airside economizer that is responsible for saving energy according to the different climatic conditions. This is done by increasing the ventilation as and when the temperature and ventilation outside tend to be at a suitable range. Thus, the requirement for air conditioning is greatly decreased. This, the savings are increased, as the ventilation fans use less energy as compared to the air conditioners.
As for the Energy Recovery Ventilation, the outdoor airflow is optimized; hence, any heat or cool is not wasted in the process. This is further enhanced by the ERV exchanging the heat generated between the supply air and the air exhausted in the process. This further helps in reducing the HVAC workload, hence, better savings in the long run. The ERVs find significant applications in Summers and Winters as they ensure to maintain the right temperatures required for indoor air precooling and preheating.
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Use of Artificial Intelligence in Air Conditioners: The Conclusion
So, there you have it, people; this is how artificial intelligence improves air conditioner performance and plays a huge role in ensuring energy efficiency and optimizing the performance of the HVAC. This is done through systematic data collection and automation.
Artificial Intelligence is the present future that has managed to enhance our lifestyle and upgrade it to comfortable levels. So, the applications of AI have been maintained at safer levels of control; however, we are still to see if the ‘machines will take over mankind’!