The Inside Story of IFB FastCool AC Part 2
By IFB | September 4, 2020
Our world is heating at a faster rate than ever before.
Global warming is resulting in yearly increase in temperatures, and the five warmest years in recorded history have been in the past decade. In India itself, many cities – including Delhi – recorded their highest monthly temperatures ever in 2019, with heat wave to severe heat wave conditions in large swathes of the country. July 2019 went down as the hottest July ever in Indian meteorological history, and about 65% of our population came face to face with temperatures of 40 degree Celsius and more. Elderly people and children were the demographic most vulnerable to this heat.
We at IFB realized that this phenomenon will continue – and possibly even worsen – in years to come, so we needed to build an air conditioner that would ensure that even severe heat wave conditions didn’t affect people’s lives, at least when they are indoors. In short: no compromise on cooling.
Uncompromise on Cooling Comfort
Driven by the idea to set an industry benchmark in cooling, our R&D division performed the most gruelling of tests to check the cooling performance of our ACs. The machines went through various combinations of high and low ambient heat, various levels of humidity and frequent voltage fluctuations to ensure that wherever in India the air conditioner is used, neither weather factors nor power variations affect its cooling performance. Our team also tested the ACs in Rajasthan, one of the hottest states in the country where temperatures regularly cross the 50° Celsius mark, to check how it was cooling.
The outcome of these demanding tests and field visits: IFB FastCool – The Zero-Compromise AC, which offers cooling even at 58° Celsius ambient temperature, one of the best in the industry. The performance is backed by cutting-edge technology and innovations:
- Cools at 58° Celsius: The IFB FastCool air conditioner delivers quick cooling in your room even at 58° Celsius ambient temperature.
- Superior Cooling Power with Twin Inverter Hi-speed HD Compressor: Even in the midst of heat wave conditions, the powerful compressor of the IFB AC ensures peak efficiency and cooling.
- Dual GoldFin Heat Exchangers: The fins in indoor and outdoor units of the air conditioner have been coated for better heat exchange and cooling performance.
- Air Cooled PCB: This unique cooling system prevents the PCB of the IFB ACs from getting hot, ensuring efficient and consistent performance of the air conditioner.
- 4 Way Auto Cooling: IFB air conditioners cool all parts of a room uniformly through motorised horizontal and vertical air swing.
- 120% capacity: When you turn on the air conditioner, the variable-speed compressor operates at 120% capacity as compared to a fixed-speed one, resulting in immediate lowering of room temperature.
- Long Air Throw: The 360° blower and powerful fan ensures that cool air reaches even the farthest corner of a large room.
Uncompromise on Good Sleep
Our research also showed that consumers – particularly those residing in hotter areas of the country – were not sleeping in a comfortable state even when an air conditioner was in use. The reason: hot breaks when the compressor of the AC shuts off.
A fixed-speed air conditioner works on the principle that once the desired temperature is reached, the compressor shuts off. It will only restart after at least 3 minutes. During this time, the temperature of the room rises; the hotter the region, the quicker this rise in temperature. This is precisely the time when people’s comfort and sleep are affected, with the heat making them twist and turn.
To resolve this issue, IFB decided to focus only on inverter technology in air conditioners, becoming the first Indian company to build a range of only inverter ACs. The functioning of an inverter AC can be related with the walk-and-sprint analogy. When the AC is turned on, the compressor “sprints” and cools immediately. After the optimal temperature is reached, the compressor doesn’t shut off but only reduces its speed in a manner of “walking.” The inverter technology ensures two major advantages over fixed-speed ACs in terms of performance and durability:
- Constant, comfortable cooling: A steady temperature is maintained, with no variations or “hot breaks” in between.
- Longer compressor life: Continuously switching on/off in a fixed-speed AC shortens the life of the compressor. This is not the case in an inverter AC.
Uncompromise on Energy Efficiency
The next question was: Does this superior performance entail more energy consumption or more pressure on the environment?
The answer is: No.
The inverter technology in our ACs results in higher energy savings, since reduction in compressor speed reduces power consumption and also because the compressor doesn’t need to restart, a process that itself requires more power. Another step towards driving energy efficiency – in line with the India 2021 vision – and taking care of the planet was to use R32 refrigerant across all of our models. While R32 reduces energy consumption, it is also eco-friendly with zero impact on the ozone layer.
It has been a relentless, uncompromising pursuit to perfect our product, which is derived on IFB’s own philosophy of zero-compromise. A philosophy that reflects in the FastCool’s cooling performance and efficiency, in the comfort it delivers – even if you are in the hottest place in the country.
leave a comment