Portable air conditioners

A portable air conditioner is a self-contained room appliance. The compressor, fans and heat exchangers are housed in the unit, with heat normally rejected outdoors through a flexible exhaust hose placed through a window or door opening.

It is different from fixed split AC, where the compressor and outdoor heat exchanger are outside and refrigerant pipework connects them to an indoor unit. Energy Stack covers portable AC as a technology category but does not catalogue portable brands or models.

Exhausting heat from the room

A portable unit needs a suitable route for its hot-air discharge.

The exhaust arrangement can allow warm outside air to enter through the opening or other leakage paths. This reduces effective cooling and is one reason government material distinguishes portable appliances from more efficient fixed systems.

A freestanding appliance avoids a fixed indoor installation, but the exhaust hose and external opening restrict where it can be used. Condensate handling also varies by product and needs to be checked in the product instructions.

Portable AC and evaporative coolers

An evaporative air cooler is not an air conditioner. It draws air through water-wetted media and uses evaporation to reduce the air temperature. It does not use a refrigerant circuit to transfer heat outdoors.

Evaporative cooling adds moisture to the air. Its effect depends on the entering temperature, humidity and ventilation. A fan, dehumidifier and portable air conditioner are different appliance categories.

Related entries

• Air-to-air heat pumps
• Single-split and multi-split air conditioning
• Air-conditioning cooling load and sizing
• Air-conditioning maintenance and filters