Repsol YPF

It is now much easier to choose the temperature of your environment personally, since it is possible to use small devices which only require batteries and ice cubes.

It is not expensive to buy a mini air conditioning console unit to put next to your desk, for example. You just need to fill it with ice and plug it in. That way less can be spent on air conditioning companies without anyone being hot or uncomfortable. There are also models which are powered by batteries. 

The frozen water creates a personalised climate control system that anyone can use. In some cases it is sufficient to fill a bottle with water, freeze it, put it in the appropriate compartment and switch it on in order to enjoy a fresh, pleasant breeze at any given time.

These devices only use water to produce the cold and are economical to use. They are ideal for those places where you wish to use cold air in a controlled fashion. 

How do they work?
The mechanism for these systems is based on the behaviour of the coolant that absorbs the heat, and is evaporated as it travels round the circuit until it reaches the external unit and the heat absorbed is expelled when it condenses.

Other systems are charged during the night, when it is always cooler and they require less energy to lower the temperature. Using the night-time tariff, the electricity is also cheaper when it comes to converting the water to ice which will be used throughout the day to provide fresh air.

In any case, before selecting an air conditioning system you must look at the characteristics of each device, its useful life, the energy consumption, the price and the needs of the people who are going to use it. These factors combined may make buying one system more suitable than another.

Incorporating electrostatic, deodorant, dust and mite filters for air treatment may be necessary in some cases. The filters improve the air quality. Likewise, a dehumidifier to control the humidity helps to reach an optimum level of comfort. In fact, occasionally, by modifying the humidity conditions it is possible to reduce the heat without modifying the temperature on the thermostat, which reduces consumption.

Meanwhile, the electronic automatic control mechanisms connect and disconnect the device.

Conventional models 
The devices which are placed near the window are the most common and the most basic. They adapt easily to any building but only cool the room in which they are placed. They have a compressor, fan and evaporator in the same unit. This causes some disadvantages in terms of aesthetics and sound level.

Portable air conditioning units barely need any installation, but as with the window devices, they make a lot of noise. Another disadvantage is that they have a small refrigeration capacity.

Split systems have two units: one inside and the other outside. The evaporator, fan, air filter and control device remain inside. The compressor and condenser are placed outside with the result that the system is generally quieter than other models. 

Wall mounted air conditioning units are currently the most popular for the home. They can also work as a heat pump. They require you to install an external unit and to extend the connecting refrigerant circuit from the external to the internal unit. Installing the internal unit is simple and does not require any major work. 

Console units are usually placed on the floor. Their ability to diffuse cold air is greater than that of wall mounted units. However, they need more space and their cooling power varies.

Ceiling cassette units are built into the false ceilings of offices and shops. They have several cold air outlets and only one input for the air that is to be cooled down. There are some that are fixed to the ceiling which look similar to wall mounted units. Those with pipes require two communication channels with the room where they are located: one to extract the hot air and another to introduce the cold air. Finally, the multisplit systems use a single external unit attached to several internal units, making it possible to have air conditioning in several rooms.