When it comes to Guangzhou, the air-conditioning system of its public transportation system is undoubtedly a crucial survival guarantee for citizens and passengers. This statement is by no means an exaggeration. This article aims to explore the development process of Guangzhou’s bus air conditioning system from a non-professional perspective.
In the mid-1990s, the first generation of air-conditioned buses made their debut in Guangzhou. These vehicles are modified based on the original models with openable windows (to facilitate ventilation in winter). Although their insulation performance is not satisfactory, compared with the “hot dog” buses without air conditioning, they are extremely safe for passengers and drivers. A great gift. Air-conditioning outlets are usually placed above the heads of passengers near the window, such as the high-end North American bus models introduced by Guangzhou FAW at that time, even though their air-conditioning systems consumed relatively high fuel consumption.
At the same time, there are also some specially modified “magic modified” air-conditioned buses, which are modified on the basis of the original “hot dog” buses. With the putting into use of truly closed air-conditioned buses, the cooling effect inside the carriages has been significantly improved.
Some models are equipped with an air conditioning fan in the middle of the cabin to optimize air circulation. However, some models use perforated steel pipes that run through the front and rear bodies as air-conditioning outlets. The effect of this so-called “diffuse air-conditioning” is not ideal. Passengers cannot adjust the wind force, and the driver’s position is too cold, and passengers near the engine on the top of the mountain are overheated. problem. Especially when the vehicle accelerates, a warm current will flow from the engine compartment into the cabin, causing discomfort to the passengers. Take the Huanghai No. 133 bus as an example. The air-conditioning performance at the top of the mountain was so poor that passengers felt like they were in a sauna.
After the SARS epidemic, most public transportation vehicles were equipped with ultraviolet disinfection devices to improve public health. However, since the power performance of gas buses is not as good as that of diesel buses, drivers often need to make a trade-off between power and air-conditioning comfort.
During the morning and evening peak hours, overloading of carriages occurs frequently. It is difficult for fully loaded buses to climb steep sections such as Tianhe Interchange, and drivers have to manually turn off the air conditioner in order to gain power. This results in the cooling effect of air-conditioned buses being greatly reduced, making the carriages unbearably hot and stuffy, especially in the rainy summer, like a steamer.
After the Asian Games, LNG hybrid buses gradually became popular, and the air conditioning system finally got rid of the constraints of gas power. Since then, the cooling effect of Guangzhou Public Transport has begun to significantly improve, allowing it to maintain a more comfortable riding environment in summer (although seats at the top of the mountain still have certain temperature issues).
With the advancement of bus electrification, passengers at the top of the mountain no longer have to suffer from overheating or overcooling due to the elimination of the engine, the largest heat source. At the same time, the systematic automatic air-conditioning outdoor unit enables precise control of wind power and cooling effect through one-button operation. Today’s bus air-conditioning system in Guangzhou is close to or even beyond the level of Hong Kong and other regions. Passengers no longer need to worry about wearing jackets due to the cold inside the bus when boarding the bus.
