The Washington times., 1935-07-27
AIR COOLING
POPULAR IN
CAPITAL

menL.
you're crazy with the heat"
For the National Capital, a sur
vey today disclosed, is going in
for air-cooling almost as fast
as engineers and proprietors Of
business establishments can get
together on the mechanics of it.
Stores, shops, hotels, theaters,
restaurants and Government de.
partments are joining the pro-
ceSSion with a regularity which
has brought the total of air-con-
ditioning equipment contracted
for in Washington alone this year
to three million dollars. And new
contracts or inquiries as to "osts
and processes of installation, &C
cording to makers and distribu.
tors of the new system, are COM
ing in every week.
In one Washington store an air.
cooling device has been installed
which Shoots" cool air automa.
tically to whatever part of the es-
tabliShment shows the greatest
human congestion. If there is q
bargain rush to the house furnish
ingS department, with women
shoppers pushing each other aside
in an effort to get to the counter
first, the air-cooling system deliv.
ers an extra load of cool fresh air
at that spot. If they move in a
mass or a new crowd shows up in
the bargain basement-if there is
a bargain basement "a valve
opens a little wider and presto!
There is more cool air there.
And Washingtonians are not
concerned about the temperatures,
either. They like to be cool, and
it's the public demand for air-cool-
ing which is responsible for new
installations.
When pioneers in air condition.
ing some years ago viSioned their
business as supplanting autorno-
bile manufacturing as a basic
stimulus to economic recovery,
their prophesies were discounted.
But the 1885 business man is be-
coming convinced that recent
strides in air conditioning will
place the growth of atmospheric
control on par with the remark
able expansion of the auto trade
during the last Is years.
According to local manufac-
tuners and contractors, about five
million dollars worth of this
equipment is being installed every
week throughout the country and
it is believed that the total for
the year 1885 will amount to well
over twenty-five million dollars.
They explain that the principle
of the modern air-conditioning
plant is as old as humanity. Man
has always been conscious of
greater comfort in dry weather
than in moist atmosphere. And
all because nature was aware of
the physical axiom that evapora-
ton cools any surface, especially
sensitive human skin.
When the humidity or water
content of the air is low, perspira-
ton thrown off by the body at
higher temperatures is readily
absorbed. A relatively high water
content, however, opposes further
absorption and discomfort re-
suits.
"Breathers" of the air-condi-
tioning system are cooling units
placed where fresh air can be
drawn into the building. The air
first passes through spun glass
filters, about 20 inches square and
two inches thick, on which the
dirt particles deposit themselves.
From the filters the air passes
over pipes through which refriger-
ated water is pumped from a cen
trail system. At the same time the
moisture in the air is precipitated
on the pipes. Warm air and moiS-
lure is mixed with the cool air in
the next process until the temper
allure and humidity reach the
proportions regarded by engineers
and health authorities as correct.
Inside temperature never goes
below 10 degrees, or a tempera-
ture commensurate with bodily
comfort. For each increase in
outside temperature the thermo-
stat increases inside temperature
in a ratio of about one to two or
one to three, so that when 95 de.
grees are registered on the street,
the inside temperature would be
about 80 to IS. This guards
against shock in passing to and
from the building.
Humidity is usually held at
about so per cent-which research
shows to be the most comfortable
water content of the air. Out
side humidity frequently reaches
80 per cent and more in Wash
ington.
Thus are the saleswoman and
the shopper made more comfort
able, the business man and his
secretary more efficient and the
theater patron better satisfied
with the performance.
And thus Washingtonians in
increasing numbers find surcease
from Summer heat.
Tennis Courts Are Opened
ALEXANDRIA, Va, July 81.
Tennis courts at the Jefferson
School were opened here yesterday