Air conditioning systems are devices designed to control the indoor environment — cooling, heating, dehumidifying and ventilating. They vary considerably in terms of design, capacity and intended use.
The main types are split air conditioning systems (separate indoor and outdoor units, standard for rooms), multi-split systems (one outdoor unit for several indoor units), VRF/VRV systems (large-scale air conditioning with heat recovery), climate-controlled cabinets for data centres, chest-type air conditioners, wall-mounted air conditioners and portable air conditioners for temporary use.
Leading manufacturers include Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Toshiba Carrier, Panasonic, LG, Samsung, Hitachi, Stulz (precision air conditioning), as well as Vaillant and Viessmann.
Air conditioning systems are used in residential buildings, office buildings, hotels, hospitals, server rooms and data centres, in industrial buildings, in business premises and restaurants, as well as in production areas with controlled environmental conditions.