Ever wondering how air conditioner was made?

The History of Air Conditioner

Air conditioner is a vital necessity in big cities. Could you imagine the inconvenience one will feel to work and sleep in such a sultry environment? Air conditioner cools the air as much as you want. Have you ever wondered the people behind the creation of air conditioner?

Hundred years ago, people of ancient Rome already tried to cool themselves in the heat of summer. Rich Romans made long water pipe that flows around the room in order to lower the temperature. Meanwhile, people of ancient Egypt hanged wet bamboo leaves in their window–hoping that the water inside the leaves will evaporate and the wind will blow the cool air into the room they were in. The ancient Egypt and ancient Rome air-cooling methods are considered too much hassle, so experts racked their brain to find more effective ways.

We could say that Benjamin Frankley and John Hadley, two Cambridge University professors from the year of 1758, are the pioneers of air-cooling theory. Continued by Michael Faraday in 1820 who found that alcohol evaporation could be used to cool things and air. And then in 1930, John Gorrie from one of USA Florida’s hospitals, intended to quicken his patients recovery by putting ice blocks in front of a fan–this method was considered as the first principle of air-cooling system, and patented by John Gorrie itself. In 1934, Jacob Perkins invented compressor–the first machine that inspired Willis Haviland Carrier’s AC invention.

Carrier : The Father of Modern Air Conditioner

In 1902, Willis Haviland Carrier created a machine that blows air from cold water filled coils. This system was made to keep the room temperature and maintain the humidity of a printing company– in order to avoid paper curling caused by heating printing machine.  Willis’ creation is considered as the starting point of modern air conditioner technology and its industry.

Since 1933, The Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America (Carrier’s company) used belt-driven technology to develop their air conditioning products. They also used blower, mechanical control and cooling coils. Modern air conditioner today is the development result of Carrier’s machine, so it is given that Willis Haviland Carrier was named as the father of modern air conditioner–because he truly is the first air conditioner handyman.

The “AC” term became popular in 1906–the year when Stuart Cramer invented air humidifier machine for textile factory and named it AC (air conditioner). As time goes by, the “AC” term was also used to dub air-cooling machine that created by Carrier.