The economic forces acting on the air-conditioning and heating equipment market have changed and continue to change in response to energy technology, supply, and cost, as well as construction trends. During the 1970s, substantial heat-actuated cooling R&D was focused on the useful conversion of solar energy–a heating technology contender–for air-conditioning.
Today’s energy market forces are responsible for the renewed interest in the direct conversion of fuels in place of premium-priced electricity for the production of cooling. A number of mature equipmentechnologies, such as absorption cycle refrigeration, are available for this market but are limited in application to water-cooled, chilled water systems. Other circumstances–such as construction trends swinging to low-rise structures and the ensuing rapid increase of unitary air-conditioning products, the growth of speculative construction, and the shift of electric charges to peak-use sensitivity–have identified the market for broad-based, adaptive nonelectric cooling products.
Citation: Symposium, ASHRAE Transactions, vol. 95, pt. 1, Chicago 1989
Product Details
- Published:
- 1989
- Number of Pages:
- 4
- File Size:
- 1 file , 630 KB
- Product Code(s):
- D-24647
