A portable air conditioner works in non-standard spaces, such as warehouses, boats, recreational vehicles, and trucks. It runs on electricity, like a window unit, yet is small enough to be used in spaces that are not well suited for central air conditioning or permanent installation.
Industrial spaces prompted the development of a portable air conditioner that could be rolled around from one work area to another since it would be wasteful and expensive to cool an entire warehouse. The portable air conditioner has since been modified for use outside of a commercial capacity. This involved changing the cooling technology, reducing the size, and adapting the power source to run off of battery converters.
The original type of portable air conditioner runs on coolant, similar to a permanently installed window unit. Using a chemical called freon, the unit gets power from an ordinary 120-volt electrical outlet. This type is as large as a window unit yet mounted on sturdy casters so it can be easily wheeled from one location to another. In warehouses, they cool spaces occupied by people, such as a small office, as well as temperature-sensitive equipment like motors or computers. To work properly, the air conditioner needs to be able to release hot air outside, so it must be vented through a duct or window.
A newer type of portable air conditioner uses evaporative technology, rather than coolant, similar to a swamp cooler. In these smaller, more portable devices, a reservoir of water is used to cool and humidify the air through evaporation. You could carry this compact portable air conditioner into your motor home, car, truck, boat, or anywhere you can power it off of a battery using a 12-volt converter. Although it must be maintained by refilling the reservoir, the portable air conditioner is effective at quickly cooling and freshening smaller spaces and doesn't need to be vented.
There are additional features available on portable air conditioners. Some are equipped with an air purification filter to ensure the air you breathe is free from indoor pollutants, such as cigarette smoke or exhaust fumes in your car. They may be fitted with a dehumidifier to make the atmosphere more comfortable in muggy climates. Whatever your temporary cooling needs, you can find a portable air conditioner to meet them.