Many researchers and engineers at Samsung Electronics publish verified data collected from
their projects as research papers. While some advanced studies make it into world-renown
journals like Nature, many studies also explore topics that are relevant to consumers’ daily
lives including energy saving, wind-free air conditioning, dehumidifying and more. With much
of the world experiencing intense hot weather due to global heat waves caused by climate
change and El Niño, Samsung Newsroom sat down with Samsung engineers to share some
useful, research-backed tips on how consumers can best utilize their air conditioners.

1 Use Dry Mode on Highly Humid Days

In the summer, high humidity can be more unpleasant for people than the hot weather itself.
In these instances, the engineers recommend using different air conditioner modes.
 
“It’s good to choose the right mode based on indoor conditions,” said Jun Hwang from the Air
Solution R&D Group. “Air conditioners function by sucking in hot, humid air that goes through
the cold Heat Exchanger inside the indoor unit before emitting cool air to lower indoor
temperatures and humidity. While the basic functionalities of Cooling and Dry modes are
similar, they work in different ways depending on the result you are trying to achieve.”
This raises the question: What is the difference between Cooling and Dry modes?
 
Put simply, Cooling is ideal for quickly lowering the indoor air temperature whereas Dry is
perfect for reducing the humidity within a space. The biggest difference lies in the
compressor and air volume.
 
The goal of Cooling is to match the temperature set by the user. After sensing the indoor
temperature, the air conditioner emits cool air and adjusts the compressor output in the
outdoor unit to maintain the desired temperature with minimal energy consumption.
 
Similarly, Dry (Dehumidification) mode is used to lower humidity as much as possible based
on the temperature set by the user. The air conditioner removes moisture without changing
the temperature by sensing both the indoor temperature and relative humidity before
adjusting the air volume and compressor output. For example, if the target temperature has
been met but not the humidity, the device will continue to run the compressor while reducing
the air volume to extract moisture without further lowering the temperature.

According to a research paper, engineers confirmed that Dry Mode was approximately 2.7
times more effective at removing moisture than Cooling Mode when operating at the same
temperature in an environment mimicking high humidity periods. In fact, Dry decreased the
relative room humidity from 75% to 55%, and the discomfort index dipped from 73 to
70 — with participants who felt discomfort dropping from 50% to 10%.
 
Since temperature and weather conditions fluctuate throughout the day, it can be a hassle to
manually switch between modes. To optimize the cooling experience and maintain optimal
room conditions, Samsung engineers recommend using AI Auto Cooling, 1  which
automatically switches to the most appropriate mode between WindFree™, Fast and Normal
Cooling.
“The AI Auto Cooling feature switches to the appropriate mode that suits each user’s
household by analyzing usage patterns and external conditions of both indoor and outdoor
units,” said Hwang.
 
Usage patterns are sent to the AI server each day — with regular updates occurring every
three to four days — to provide users with more a more personalized cooling experience.
 

2 Digital Inverter Boost Promotes Energy Efficiency

People often avoid turning on their air conditioners for long periods of time over fears of
spiked electricity bills. However, thanks to the highly energy-efficient Digital Inverter Boost
technology, users can enjoy pleasantly cool rooms during the hot summer months while
reducing energy usage up to 73%.
To understand why energy usage surges, Sangwoo Lee from the Air Solution R&D Group
explained the differences between air conditioner operating time and occupied zone.
“Sometimes, people briefly turn off their air conditioners before turning them on again when it
gets hot — repeating this over and over because they’re worried about raising their electricity
bills,” Lee said. “However, this can actually cause the bill to increase even more.”
Samsung engineers conducted tests to measure how much energy is saved when an air
conditioner is turned off and on versus when an air conditioner is operating continuously.

Although results may vary depending on the size of the area and the difference between the
indoor and outdoor temperatures, the engineers concluded that keeping the air conditioner
on is better when leaving spaces for less than 90 minutes.
 
“When the air conditioner was turned on after 30 minutes, energy consumption was 5%
higher compared to continuous usage. When turned on after 60 minutes, it was 2% higher.
However, after more than 90 minutes, turning off the air conditioner and turning it back on
later resulted in reduced energy consumption,” 2  said Seongjin Lim from the Air Solution R&D
Group.
 
Lim explained that the Digital Inverter Boost helps to keep temperatures consistent while
optimizing operational efficiency. “The latest air conditioners utilize the Digital Inverter Boost
technology to maintain desired temperatures with less fluctuation. Frequently turning air
conditioners on and off is inefficient as more energy is needed to lower the room temperature
again.”
In addition, Lim recommended closing the doors of rooms that are not in use and only cooling
necessary areas. “Bigger spaces have more volume, meaning more energy is required to
cool them down. By closing doors and reducing the size of the area that requires cooling,
users are able to save energy,” he said.
 
 

3 Utilize WindFree™ Cooling Mode

Samsung air conditioners are equipped with WindFree™ Cooling to optimize energy
efficiency and maintain cool indoor temperatures for users who find strong breezes
uncomfortable.
 
With WindFree™ Cooling, users can create their perfect at-home environment. “WindFree™
Cooling functions similarly to how a spray bottle works as it spreads air through 23,000 micro
air holes,” said Hwang. “The hybrid path combines direct wind and ‘Still Air,’ 3  acting like the
nozzle. To quickly lower the temperature, the airflow blade opens and wind is blown out.
When users want to cool their rooms without a strong breeze, the direction of the wind is
diverted inside the air conditioner and the blade closes — allowing cool air to be dispersed
through the micro air holes on the front panel instead,” 4  he explained.
 
 
How Cooking May Affect Air Conditioner Performance
Cooking in the summer always presents a dilemma: keeping the windows closed creates
stale air but opening them allows hot, humid air to seep in. To prevent this, Samsung
engineers recommend utilizing the innovative technologies of SmartThings to keep air cool
and fresh.
 
“Oil mist is created when cooking food with a lot of grease,” said Hyeongkyu Cho from the Air
Solution R&D Group. “While using an air conditioner or air purifier will remove some of the oil
mist, it can get attached to the Heat Exchanger and lower performance of the machine by
blocking filters and emitting unpleasant odors. In these instances, we recommend opening
the windows to promote air circulation.”
 
Cho explained how SmartThings can help create even more pleasant home environments for
users. “When cooking on an induction range connected to SmartThings, users can utilize the

automated feature that switches off the air conditioner and turns on the hood for customized
kitchen air care to quickly remove smoke and steam before turning on the air conditioner
again.”
 
 
Broadening Consumer Understanding and Technical Research
Although it can be challenging to write a research paper, Samsung engineers highlighted the
benefits of pooling their data together to find various conclusions. Hwang explained how
meaningful it is to have a group of experts verify the data he produced. “If a retail catalogue’s
purpose is to introduce product information in an easy and concise manner to consumers, a
research paper is to explain and promote new technology in a more detailed and scholarly
manner to experts,” he said.
 
He also emphasized the importance of research papers within the industry by saying,
“research papers can highlight the specific advantages of products and technologies while
strengthening a company’s credibility.”
 
“In the past, some consumers believed that operating air conditioners led to high electricity
bills. There were many misconceptions about how Cooling and Dry modes affect energy
usage,” Hwang continued. “We were able to correct these perceptions through our research
papers on air conditioners with inverter technology and explain how to use air conditioners
more efficiently.”
 
Samsung engineers remain committed to helping users better understand their air
conditioners for use not only during the summer but year-round.