subject: Where Does Air Conditioning Come From - A Brief History [print this page] Just like a long summer day, the history of air-con spans over centuries in time. Many individuals don't consider how this present day convenience has developed over a period of time. Their main consideration is that when they turn on the thermostat, the system provides immediate relief and comfort from the heat outside.
Just like almost all of today's technology, the cooling industry has come a ways. And, one can hazard to say that it has more advances just waiting to be explored and developed. Therefore next time you switch on the AC, you'll be thankful to all those that came before you to provide this service.
The method of air conditioning involves dehumidifying indoor air to the thermal comfort set by the thermostat. Broadly, the term appertains to any kind of cooling, heating and ventilation that is meant to tweak the state of the air. As far in the past as traditional Rome, this idea has served humankind.
Back then, the rich Romans had aqueduct water that was circulated across the walls to provide cooling temperatures. Following Rome, medieval Persia used cisterns and wind towers that cooled homes and building in the hot high season. A Chinese inventor, Ding Huan, of the Han Dynasty, invented a rotary fan in the second century. This device had 7 wheels and was powered by hand.
By the 8th century, the Cool Hall was built in the imperial palace, and included water powered fan wheels utilized for air conditioning. Rising jet streams of water from fountains were also used. Egyptians invented ventilators which were employed in Cairo during the middle ages. This system was not only for the wealthy ; just about each household in Cairo had a ventilator.
Benjamin Franklin and John Hadley, a chemist, were caught up in an experiment in 1758 concerning the idea of evaporation to swiftly cool object. The experiment confirmed the speculation. Using highly fluctuating liquids could lower the temperature of an object past freezing. More than sixty years after, a UK scientist and inventor named Michael Faraday made another discovery. Compacting and liquefying ammonia would chill the air when the ammonia evaporated.
In the 19th century, advances in chemistry have given us the modern techniques of air-con with which we are most familiar. Willis Havilland Carrier invented the 1st huge scale electric system in 1902. These are but one or two honorary touches on who have gave to our present day delight in cool air. So as you may be able to see, we have many societies and people to thank.
