Interesting A/C video

[Bob the Unbeliever]

This video talks at length, how a simple desiccant-based A/C unit could be made, using concentrated salt water as the desiccant (as opposed to more toxic methods used in the past, like ammonia).

It's quite interesting, and makes me want to build one as an adjunct to my current electric compression/phase-change ones.

 

[David T]

A refreshing usage of server space rather than another post of how many angels can dance on the head if a pin! Entertaining but cotton candy this now is meat and potatoes!!

This looks interesting.

 

[PureX]

Call me when it's ready and available, and cheap enough for me to afford. I like cool air as much as the next guy.

 

[Bob the Unbeliever]

Call me when it's ready and available, and cheap enough for me to afford. I like cool air as much as the next guy.

There is a German maker of A/C's that is planning on combining the two technologies: Classic compressor/fluid/phase-change with desiccant based cycle included.

The waste heat from the compressor unit is used to dry the desiccant.

In most locations? The principle job of an A/C? Isn't to cool the place--if all you need is cooling, use an evaporative cooler. You can build one for very little investment, and it'll work for years with minor maintenance.

No, the principle job of an A/C? Is to remove excess humidity. We can tolerate higher temperatures, if the air is dry-- the dryer the air (to a point), the higher the temp we can remain comfortable.

But. Push the humidity towards 50%? We grow miserable, as our organic cooling system begins to labor to keep us comfortable-- our skin is an evaporative cooling unit, after all.

So, combining a desiccant cooling cycle with a traditional compressor/phase-change? Gives you dramatically increased efficiencies-- it requires much less energy to dry air using a desiccant, than by a cold surface condenser (think an iced drink on a hot day-- it "sweats").

I, for one, would buy one of those German machines, were they available here.

 

[shmogie]

There is a German maker of A/C's that is planning on combining the two technologies: Classic compressor/fluid/phase-change with desiccant based cycle included.

The waste heat from the compressor unit is used to dry the desiccant.

In most locations? The principle job of an A/C? Isn't to cool the place--if all you need is cooling, use an evaporative cooler. You can build one for very little investment, and it'll work for years with minor maintenance.

No, the principle job of an A/C? Is to remove excess humidity. We can tolerate higher temperatures, if the air is dry-- the dryer the air (to a point), the higher the temp we can remain comfortable.

But. Push the humidity towards 50%? We grow miserable, as our organic cooling system begins to labor to keep us comfortable-- our skin is an evaporative cooling unit, after all.

So, combining a desiccant cooling cycle with a traditional compressor/phase-change? Gives you dramatically increased efficiencies-- it requires much less energy to dry air using a desiccant, than by a cold surface condenser (think an iced drink on a hot day-- it "sweats").

I, for one, would buy one of those German machines, were they available here.

I live in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. I assure you that here the purpose of A/C is to cool. Yes, a swamp cooler can work some when the humidity hovers around 7-15%.

However, during the monsoon season, when it might be 100 degrees and pouring down rain, they are suicide.

 

[shmogie]

There is a German maker of A/C's that is planning on combining the two technologies: Classic compressor/fluid/phase-change with desiccant based cycle included.

The waste heat from the compressor unit is used to dry the desiccant.

In most locations? The principle job of an A/C? Isn't to cool the place--if all you need is cooling, use an evaporative cooler. You can build one for very little investment, and it'll work for years with minor maintenance.

No, the principle job of an A/C? Is to remove excess humidity. We can tolerate higher temperatures, if the air is dry-- the dryer the air (to a point), the higher the temp we can remain comfortable.

But. Push the humidity towards 50%? We grow miserable, as our organic cooling system begins to labor to keep us comfortable-- our skin is an evaporative cooling unit, after all.

So, combining a desiccant cooling cycle with a traditional compressor/phase-change? Gives you dramatically increased efficiencies-- it requires much less energy to dry air using a desiccant, than by a cold surface condenser (think an iced drink on a hot day-- it "sweats").

I, for one, would buy one of those German machines, were they available here.

I live in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. I assure you that here the purpose of A/C is to cool. Yes, a swamp cooler can work some when the humidity hovers around 7-15%.

However, during the monsoon season, when it might be 100 degrees and pouring down rain, they are suicide.