The invention of the portable air conditioner is very interesting.
I know all about it because my great grandfather is the one who built the first prototype.
My grandfather was one of the few HVAC technicians of his time. In those days, only the wealthy had an air conditioner, and most homes were either heated by a fireplace or a wood stove furnace. My great grandfather was a good friend of the HVAC technician who built the first window air conditioner and he wanted to contribute to the HVAC industry in some way. He built the first portable air conditioner prototype, and it was liked by HVAC designers. His portable air conditioner design began being built, and sold in markets around the world. My great grandfather also built and contributed to many other HVAC units like the portable space heater, the hydronic heating system and later in his life, the first smart thermostat. My grandfather saw the rise in the HVAC industry, and knew there would soon need to be a special business dedicated to the sale of HVAC units, so he started the first cooling and heating company where he sold portable space heaters, air conditioners, parts for wood furnaces, and even air filters. His cooling and heating business became the model for all cooling and heating companies that started after. By the end of my great grandpa’s life. He had started six heating and cooling businesses, and invented a portable air conditioner, new central air conditioner, and the first simple smart thermostat. There is an HVAC museum with an entire section dedicated to my great grandfather.