Air conditioning was one of the most important technological developments of the twentieth century. Trane is a key manufacturer of heating and cooling systems. Following is an overview of Trane through the wall air conditioners.
The two main techniques for cooling air are evaporation and refrigeration. This article does not address the evaporation method. Refrigeration systems actually use evaporation, but the fluid that evaporates is in a sealed system. After it has provided cooling, it is recompressed and reused.
Trane used to be part of American Standard Companies and is currently part of Ingersoll Rand. It makes many heating and air conditioning systems. In addition to air conditioners, Trane also makes gas furnaces, heat pumps, and integrated systems. They have both commercial and home product lines.
Most of the Trane product line consists of large scale cooling systems such as central air conditioning systems. They also make a line of through the wall air conditioners, but they don’t call them that. The are Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTAC). They are designed to have part inside and part outside, connected through a hole in a wall. They could be used to cool, and possibly also heat, guest rooms in a motel or hotel. This simplifies separate temperature control for each room. It also makes it easy to turn off the unit when no one is using a room.
PTACs can be either heat pumps or conventional air conditioners. Heat pumps are air conditioners that can also heat. They do this by reversing the air conditioning process and pumping heat inside from outdoors.
Trane PTACs can cool at anywhere from 7,000 BTUs to 15,000 BTUs, depending on the model. Some have no electrical heating, others have as much as 5 kilowatts. They use either 208 or 265 volt electricity.
The units can be turned on and off remotely. This could be useful in a hotel, where a central location could ensure that only the rooms in use are being heated or cooled. This could save both staff time and utility bills.
They can work with different kinds of thermostats. Maintenance staff can establish upper and lower limits on thermostat settings. If necessary, a separate temperature sensor can be placed in a better location in the room.
They can be set to dehumidify the air without cooling it. In many circumstances this can give the same comfort level as cooling for less expense. Outside air can be vented in to the room through a filter. This reduces the load of pollen and dust, making the air more pleasant to breath and helping to keep the room from getting dirty. They can be very quiet when the fan is on low.
Heat pump units with electrical heating will turn on the electrical heat if a heat pump failure is detected. If all units come back on right after a power failure, a dangerous surge can occur. This is prevented by delaying each unit’s restart for a variable period. The compressor will not restart for at least three minutes after a shutdown. A faster restart could cause excess wear.
Due to their efficient and quiet operation, centralized air conditioning and heating are often favored. It is good to remember that less central options have their advantages. In some situations one of the Trane through the wall air conditioners can be a good choice.