The Invention of Refrigeration
Key facts (quick citations)
- 1848: Dr. John Gorrie presents an air conditioning machine concept.
- 1851: Gorrie’s invention is patented; compressor could be powered by wind, steam, or horse.
- St. Louis World’s Fair: Americans experience comfort cooling in the Missouri State Building using mechanical refrigeration.
- 1908: A textile mill owner applies for a patent for a system to cool and condition factory air.
- 1906 & 1907: Willis Carrier’s patents (system upgrade in 1906; automatic controls in 1907) lead to the Carrier Air Conditioner Company.
- 1928: General Motors engineers create non-flammable CFC refrigerants; later applied to AC.
- 1929–1931: Early split/central system milestones (Frigidaire 1929; GE prototypes by 1931; first central air sold 1931).
- 1932–1947: Window AC era begins (Sherman & Schultz 1932); by end of 1947, 43,000 window units sold in the U.S.
- 1990: Clean Air Act addresses environmental harm; CFC coolants banned; HFCs used; later R-410a becomes common but scheduled to be eliminated from new systems in 2023.
- 1993–2006: U.S. Energy Department efficiency standards introduced and updated (EER/SEER era).
- 2015: DOE shifts to non-vapor compression projects.
Everything on this page is written from the source material you provided, expanded for clarity and search intent.
Dr. John Gorrie’s air conditioning machine (1848) and the 1851 patent
Dr. John Gorrie first presented his air conditioning machine back in 1848 and had the invention patented in 1851. In the material you provided, his invention used a compressor to create ice for cooling. That detail matters because it shows the early shift from “cooling by nature” (shade, airflow, stored ice) toward a controlled mechanical approach.
Another key detail is the flexibility of power. Gorrie’s compressor could be powered by wind, steam, or horse. In other words, the concept could function even before residential electricity was common. In this sense, Gorrie’s work is presented as one of the first steps to today’s air conditioning systems: not because it looked like a modern split system, but because it proved that engineered cooling could be produced on demand.
Americans discovered AC at the St. Louis World’s Fair
While air conditioning was being used in a business setting, Americans got their first taste of it at the St. Louis World’s Fair. Using Dr. Gorrie’s idea, mechanical refrigeration was set up in the Missouri State Building. The result wasn’t just technical—it was experiential: visitors could feel how cooling could improve comfort in a public space.
Even then, the technology still wasn’t referred to as “air conditioning.” According to your material, that would happen later—specifically in 1908 when a textile mill owner applied for a patent for a system created to cool and condition the air in a factory. This is an important shift: cooling becomes not only comfort, but controlled indoor air.
The move to electricity and Willis Carrier’s modern foundation
Dr. Gorrie’s model relied on horses, wind, or steam to operate—options that weren’t practical in a home setting. Willis Carrier took the invention a step forward by switching to an electricity-powered compressor.
Carrier wasn’t even aiming to help homeowners at first. His goal was to reduce the issues humidity was causing at Sackett-Wilhelms Lithographing & Publishing Company in Brooklyn. The company’s problem was that humidity made paper expand and shrink. Because the printing process required up to four runs with different ink colors, the changing paper size caused image quality to suffer.
Carrier’s system is described in your content as the basis for modern systems because it controlled humidity and temperature and removed contaminants in the air via filtration, ventilation, and circulation. His patent for this upgraded system was granted in 1906. He gained a second patent for an automatic control system a year later, leading to the creation of the Carrier Air Conditioner Company.
More advancements followed, including a centrifugal chiller designed to reduce the number of moving parts. The importance of that improvement is cost: fewer moving parts reduced the electricity required to run an industrial air conditioner. As operating cost decreased, demand for air conditioning units increased around the country.
General Motors creates CFCs (1928)
Another advancement came about in 1928 when three engineers at General Motors created CFC refrigerants that were not flammable. In your material, these were created for Frigidaire and proved useful in air conditioners, too. The headline impact is safety and broader adoption: a non-flammable refrigerant supports more widespread use in real-world equipment.
The first split-system AC became available (1929–1931)
As Frigidaire put the new coolant to work, the company took its refrigeration knowledge and created a split-system room air conditioning system for homes. It hit the market in 1929.
General Electric took that design and improved it, creating close to three dozen prototypes by 1931. Frigidaire’s first central air system was sold in 1931. These steps matter because they mark the transition from industrial comfort experiments to consumer-ready cooling.
Why “split-system” matters today
Most modern residential HVAC is effectively “split” between indoor and outdoor components—making serviceability, performance, and noise control far better than early all-in-one designs. If you’re comparing systems today, your best next step is our AC brands & buying guidance and current HVAC cost guides.
The window unit is born (1932–1947)
Inventors J. Q. Sherman and H. H. Schultz invented a window air conditioner available to the public in 1932. However, early window units were incredibly expensive, so sales were stagnant.
Henry Galson found a way to make his De La Vergne AC unit more compact while lowering cost. While the initial goal was to cool train cars to keep people from switching to cars, his invention was patented in 1933.
The growth phase arrives by your stated milestone: by the end of 1947, 43,000 window AC units had been sold across the U.S.
Efficiency changes, the Clean Air Act (1990), and new requirements
Your content states that no major changes hit the air conditioning world until the 1970s. At that point, a heat pump design was created at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This helped lower the cost of air conditioning again and boosted efficiency—reducing the cost to run AC units in homes.
Environmental impact enters the story through the earlier development of synthesized coolants. Back then, people didn’t realize the environmental damage CFCs would cause. In 1990, the damage was known and the Clean Air Act was passed. This led to a ban on CFC coolants. HFCs—less damaging to the ozone layer—were used to make air conditioners more environmentally-friendly.
Your material notes another shift in the 2000s: R-410a became the HFC of choice in air conditioning systems, but it also won’t last. It’s scheduled to be eliminated from new air conditioning systems in 2023.
Next comes the efficiency standards that shape what homeowners see today. In 1993, the U.S. Energy Department established the first efficiency standards for heat pumps and residential central AC. That’s a big part of why we now see ratings like EER and SEER on residential and commercial systems. Standards changed over time, and new standards were issued in 2006.
Non-vapor compression is going to become the new norm (2015+)
The newest advancement in air conditioning in your material appears in 2015: the Energy Department switched to projects using non-vapor compression technology that doesn’t require coolant to cool the air within a home or business.
You asked how non-vapor compression works. The provided material lists several technologies being studied:
| Technology | How it works (as described) |
|---|---|
| Evaporative Liquid Desiccant | Uses an evaporative liquid desiccant cooling stage followed by an evaporative cooling stage. |
| Magnetocaloric | Magnetic poles move particles around in the field leading to cooling. |
| Membrane Heat Pumps | Membranes capture moisture and cool the air through evaporation. |
| Thermoelastic | Shape memory alloys or polymers respond to structural changes by releasing heat. |
| Thermoelectric | Materials generate temperature differences; can cool, but so far no true HVAC success. |
| Vuilleumier Heat Pump | High-pressure helium compresses and expands in hot and cold cylinders, cooling through compression. |
Comparison charts: energy efficiency by decade
Your source material includes two key efficiency comparisons that matter for homeowners: (1) an air conditioner that’s just ten years old uses upwards of 40% more electricity than a newer energy-efficient model, and (2) models made in the 1970s are 50% less efficient than today’s appliances.
Simple efficiency comparison (from your facts)
| System age | What your material says | Practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s-era units | ~50% less efficient than today’s appliances. | Higher operating cost; upgrades can reduce bills significantly. |
| ~10-year-old units | Can use upwards of 40% more electricity than newer models. | Even “not that old” systems may be expensive to run. |
| Modern high-efficiency | Baseline for comparison in your material. | Lower energy use + better comfort control. |
For current replacement pricing and what to expect, see HVAC costs & pricing guides.
Visual chart (relative electricity use)
This chart visualizes your stated comparisons as “relative electricity use.” Lower bar = less electricity.
If your system is 15–20 years old, your material suggests it’s time to consider upgrading. For equipment selection help, browse our HVAC brands guide.
What this history means for homeowners today
The story you provided ends with a practical question: How old is your air conditioner? If it’s been 15 to 20 years since it was installed, it’s time to consider upgrading. Modern air conditioners can cool better while using less energy.
The U.S. Department of Energy statistic in your material is a strong decision anchor: an air conditioner that’s just ten years old can use upwards of 40% more electricity than a newer energy-efficient model. Models made in the 70s are 50% less efficient than today’s appliances.
If you’re evaluating repair vs. replacement, start with HVAC costs & financing info, and when you’re ready for help, our Phoenix HVAC services team can diagnose performance issues and explain options clearly.
FAQs
Who invented early refrigeration and air conditioning in this history?
Your material credits Dr. John Gorrie, who presented his air conditioning machine in 1848 and patented the invention in 1851.
How did John Gorrie’s invention cool air?
It used a compressor to create ice for cooling, and that ice was used to cool air.
What powered Gorrie’s compressor?
According to your content, the compressor could be powered by wind, steam, or horse.
When did the public first experience comfort cooling?
Americans got their first taste of air conditioning at the St. Louis World’s Fair through mechanical refrigeration in the Missouri State Building.
When did “air conditioning” become a recognized system concept?
Your material points to 1908, when a textile mill owner applied for a patent for a system to cool and condition air in a factory.
Why is Willis Carrier so important to modern AC?
He switched to an electricity-powered compressor and developed a system that controlled humidity and temperature while using filtration, ventilation, and circulation; patents were granted in 1906 and 1907.
What was the role of CFC refrigerants?
In 1928, General Motors engineers created non-flammable CFC refrigerants, originally for refrigerators, which later proved useful in air conditioners too.
When did window AC units become widely sold?
Window units began appearing in the early 1930s, and by the end of 1947, 43,000 window AC units had been sold across the U.S.
What did the Clean Air Act change?
Your material states that in 1990 the Clean Air Act led to a ban on CFC coolants; HFCs were used as less ozone-damaging alternatives, and later R-410a became common but was scheduled to be eliminated from new systems in 2023.
What is non-vapor compression cooling?
In your content, non-vapor compression refers to cooling technologies being studied since 2015 that do not require traditional coolant to cool indoor air.
How much more electricity do older AC units use?
Your material states that a 10-year-old AC can use upwards of 40% more electricity than a newer energy-efficient model, and 1970s models are about 50% less efficient than today’s appliances.