HOUSTON - Recently, Goodman Company LP introduced its Amana® brand package terminal air conditioner (PTAC). According to the company, the PTAC has an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) of up to 12.8, and its design makes the unit less costly to operate and saves energy.

Other benefits of the latest Amana PTAC result from its Bent Coil Technology. According to the company, the coil design helps to increase the primary and secondary air surface on the coils while allowing the unit to accommodate tight space limitations.

According to Tom Guffey, vice president of Goodman's Amana brand PTAC sales, the typical PTAC has a 42-inch wide wall sleeve, and Goodman designed the bent coil in order to meet the size requirement.

Essentially, the coil is longer than the 42 inches of space available for the PTAC unit, but when bent to form two rows, it can easily fit into the system.

According to the company, the design allows more room for cleaning. One new enhancement to the PTAC is easier access to the condenser coil, Guffey said. He explained that the shroud at the top of the condenser can be easily removed by unfastening three screws, providing ready access to the coils for cleaning and maintenance.

Guffey believes that its new PTAC is not only easier to maintain, but easier to install, making it ideal for hotels, motels, apartments, and assisted living facilities.

Better Operation

The bent coil technology also helps to enhance system performance, according to Guffey.

"The two-row bent coil is better for heat transfer," he said. He explained that having more primary coil surface allows for lower system operating temperatures, longer compressor life, better condensate dispersion, and sustainable high efficiencies.

"PTACs today run wet in the cooling mode," said Guffey. "Any condensate generated drains to the outside to the pan."

The additional primary coil surface is designed to help to ensure use of condensate for cooling system operation, while maximizing condensate evaporation and minimizing the chance for water overflow.

These features all benefit the building owner, said Guffey. Besides minimizing the risk for water overflow, the system can run at cooler temperatures, which can increase the system's efficiency, as well as its life span.

For more information, visit www.amana-ptac.com.

Publication date: 03/08/2004