When Was Air Conditioning Invented?

When people discuss air conditioning, they are referring to a device that cools a room by removing warm air from the indoors and sending it to the outside. The air conditioner balances the air temperature and humidity of the room or a building. The origination of air conditioning is a unique and remarkable story.

In 180 A.D. in China, inventor Ding Huan fashioned a manual-powered fan that drew cool air from a pool of cold water and circulated it throughout a home. This method was advanced during the Tang and Song Dynasties. At first, the fans were mechanically driven by people, and then later by the water that was used to produce the cooler air. The concept of air conditioning is also known to have been utilized in Ancient Rome, where aqueduct water was distributed through the walls of houses. The purpose was to provide a cooling effect. As well, ventilators were invented in Egypt during the Middle Ages and were used extensively in scores of houses throughout Cairo.

In 1820, British scientist Michael Faraday developed a compressor that utilized ammonia as an active chemical ingredient, however the fumes were toxic. In 1851, Florida doctor, John Gorrie used the process of compression to make ice, which could then be used to cool rooms and buildings. His design received a patent but he died before his plans were realized.

In 1902, the first commercial air-conditioning unit was assembled by Willis Haviland Carrier for the Sackett-Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing Company in New York. The system was intended to be used to cool equipment used in the printing process.

In 1922, Carrier added the chemical 'dielene' to his invention. Dielene was a nontoxic coolant that could be used without poisoning people. The result was a rapid increase in demand by office building and store owners. During the 1940s and 1950s, the popularity of air conditioners with homeowners grew at an astounding rate. For instance, in 1953, more than 1 million air conditioner units were sold.

In 1928, Thomas Midgley Jr. created the first chlorofluorocarbon gas known as Freon. Freon is a trademark name of DuPont for any Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), Hydrogenated CFC (HCFC), or Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant. The refrigerant was much safer for people but was later discovered to be damaging to the environment by increasing the depletion of the ozone air. For example, "R-22 (also known as HCFC-22) has a global warming potential about 1,800 times higher than CO2." The result was decreased ocean plankton, severe destruction to flora, and an increased rate in skin cancer.

Honeywell and Carrier company brands developed ozone-friendly coolants during the late 1980s and early 1990s to replace Freon. Freon is on its way to being entirely phased out.

Innovations in air conditioning technologies have a long and fascinating history. Future developments will see a continued emphasis on energy efficiency, improving indoor air quality, and reducing the negative impact on the environment. The future for air conditioners looks bright as a viable form of cooling one's home.