The compressor is the most important part of an air conditioner and the technology that drives a compressor has undergone a huge upgrade from time to time. This inverter technology is the most effective innovation that has been a revolution for compressors and air conditioners as a whole.
You will find all the modern ACs coming out in the market with inverter technology, and salespersons are selling them as the main USP. Today, we will learn about inverter ACs and dual inverter ACs and their differences in detail.
What Is Inverter Air Conditioner?
In a modern AC, an inverter is a device that controls the flow of current and voltage to a compressor. With control on the power supply, an inverter is responsible for controlling the speed of the working of a compressor. This speed of a compressor is adjusted as per the level of cooling required in a room. That is why the cooling effect will be more precious and effective.
At the same time, the compressor is always working at a maximum speed, which was the case with older, non-inverter ACs. When it is not running at maximum speed, the power consumption is less. Hence, the inverter ACs are energy-efficient, and you can see the result in your electricity bill when you replace the old model AC with the inverter AC.
To understand the inverter AC on a deeper level, one has to understand the compressor and its working. The older models have a reciprocating compressor where air compression takes place with pistons’ up and down movement inside the cylinders. The inverter ACs come with a rotary compressor.
A rotary compressor works with two motors where air is trapped between the motors. The compression of air takes place with relatively low pressure, and hence, the inverter ACs are quieter than older models. They also work with relatively low heat and less vibration.
Comparison Between Inverter and Non-Inverter AC
| PARAMETER | INVERTER AC | NON INVERTER AC |
|---|---|---|
| Compressor Speed | Variable | Constant |
| Compressor Efficiency | High | Low |
| Noise | Low | High |
| Vibration | Low | High |
| Power Consumption | Low | High |
What Is A Dual Inverter Air Conditioner?
A dual inverter AC uses inverter technology with a twin rotary compressor. A regular inverter AC has one single-cylinder rotary compressor. The use of two rotary compressors reduces the vibration as well as noise to a greater extent.
On a deeper level, a dual inverter AC uses an advanced BLDC motor that helps in better efficiency in operation and a faster yet accurate cooling effect. A regular inverter AC uses the principle of single rotation of a single compressor. This generates vibration and noise due to the shaft whirling, especially when the compressor is at its maximum speed.
But in a dual inverter AC, the compressors operate with mutual timing having a 180-degree phase difference. This ensures stability in operation and hence, low vibration and noise. Besides, it improves the operational frequency range, thanks to better rotational balance and compression torque. The operational frequency range can go as low as 700 RPM and as high as 8000 RPM.
This widens the tonnage of an AC, and therefore, a dual inverter AC of 1.5 ton can have tonnage between 0.3 to 1.8 ton comfortably. Due to this, the cooling is precise, and power consumption is efficient. Apart from these, there are various parameters where a dual inverter AC differs from a regular inverter AC, and they are listed below.
Difference Between Inverter AC and Dual Inverter AC
The following is the list of key differences between a normal inverter AC and a dual inverter AC.
1. Type of Compressor
The basic difference between the ACs lies in the type of compressors they possess, and hence, they are named accordingly. The normal inverter AC uses a variable speed single-rotation single compressor. Whereas, the dual inverter uses a single compressor with dual rotors that operate with a phase difference of 180-degree. With a single compressor, the operational frequency is relatively narrow, and therefore, vibration and noise are relatively high when the compressor is working at its peak.
2. Cooling Speed and Precision
Both the ACs produce precise and efficient cooling owing to the inverter technology and compressor working at variable speed. However, a dual inverter AC is better at cooling than a normal inverter AC. The reasons are the use of twin rotators instead of one as well as the use of a more advanced BLDC motor. The motor offers more precise temperature control and twin rotators ensure faster cooling with a wider operation frequency.
3. Energy-Efficiency
A dual inverter AC is more energy-efficient than a normal inverter AC. The advanced motor controls the speed of the compressor more precisely, and power supply is more regulated and saved. With wider operational frequency but relatively low frequency of rotation due to the use of twin rotators, the compressor does not have to operate at a higher speed most of the time. Hence, power consumption is lower than a normal inverter AC where a single-cylinder rotator compressor works at high speed most of the time for precise cooling.
4. Noise Emission
A normal inverter comes with a single-cylinder rotary compressor, which is why it operates with a higher frequency of rotation for faster cooling. Due to high-speed rotation, the vibration is greater, and hence, the noise emitted is relatively high. On the contrary, a dual inverter AC works with high stability of the system due to two rotors working in conjunction. With wider operation frequency and low rotational frequency, the noise produced in the system is negligible.
5. Durability
A dual inverter AC may cost you more than a normal inverter AC but it is going to be more durable. This is because the speed of compressor operating stays low in a dual inverter AC and hence, less heat and vibration is produced in the system. On the other hand, due to a single rotator constantly working at high speed in a normal inverter AC, the heat produced is more, and the vibration leads to more wearing and less life span of certain parts.
| PARAMETERS | DUAL INVERTER AC | NORMAL INVERTER AC |
|---|---|---|
| Compressor Type | Twin Rotary Compressor | Compressor Type Twin Rotary Compressor |
| Operation Frequency Range | Wide | Narrow |
| Cooling Precision | High | Moderate To Low |
| Cooling Speed | Fast | Moderate |
| Energy Efficiency | High | Moderate |
| Noise | Negligible | Moderate to High |
| Durability | High | Moderate |
Conclusion
The ACs have undergone a revolution, thanks to the innovation of inverter technology for compressors. Apart from normal inverter and dual inverter ACs, there are 8-pole triple inverter and expandable inverter ACs also available. However, the dual inverter and normal inverter ACs are more widely used. The dual inverter ACs should be the most preferred choice for consumers as they score highly over normal inverter ACs in all parameters.
