By Odin Mckenzie 
Marine air conditioning has a lot of significant advantages, especially when you choose the right type and size for your boat. It does not only cool the ship, but it also dehumidifies it too. Dry boats can be rewarding for onboard systems and can cause less corrosion. Not too mention, it provides a considerable amount of comfort for the people on boar.
With installing air conditioning for your boat, you also have to consider the exposure to direct sunlight. Just like any ordinary air conditioner, if it is exposed to a significant amount of heat, it tends to work harder to produce adequate cooling. Thus, it can lead to a shorter lifespan. With this, putting a shade over your hatches can help the air conditioner work more efficiently.
The difference between marine air conditioning is where they can get their cooling systems. For marine, it obviously uses water instead of land. The presence of water and lack of space makes it preferable for the boats. There are two types of Marine AC:
- Refrigerant types
- Evaporative Types
Refrigerant Air Conditioning
This uses the idea of evaporation and condensation. It basically utilizes a closed-loop which consists of high pressure and low pressure.
On the high-pressure side, refrigerant gas rises rapidly then cooled and turned into liquid by condensation. The warm fluid passes onto the low-pressure side. Now, through evaporation, it turns into vapor. The evaporator needs energy in the form of heat to do this. This is the heat in the room that you wish to cool; thus, the place gets cooler. Since you need a compressor in the closed-loop system, you have to have a good power source as well.
There are two distinct types of Refrigerant Air Conditioning System for marine use.
- Direct Expansion System
- Tempered Water or Chiller System
A direct expansion system is commonly used on mid-range boats while the Chiller system is for larger yachts.
Direct Expansion System
These are commonly used for recreational vessels and can run on AC power, shore power, or generator.
Chiller System
This is designed for flexibility and easy maintenance. These units are generally housed in the machinery space. Cold water is produced through a chiller and runs through the papers and air handlers.
Evaporative Air Conditioning
On the other hand, evaporative air conditioners use evaporative cooling from water or ice. Cold air from the water or ice is blown through a fan to cool down a given area.