Ever since IPCC released their report last week, warnings for rising temperatures and urges to switch to efficient and renewable energy sources, have flooded the news feeds. The recent drought that occurred in California last month could only serve as an eye-opener, as it gave us a sneak preview of what is very likely to happen pretty much everywhere very soon.
This is why gadgets and technologies that can cool down spaces, just like the expensive and energy consuming air conditioners, but without the added electricity cost, are definitely worth exploring. Such invention comes from the Swiss designer Thibault Feverie, who made a very simple, cheap and super efficient natural air cooling device out of clay.
The invention is called Cold Pot. A simple, low-tech bio-air conditioner, which brings down the temperature of a room following the simple principle of evaporation. The method is really not new, in fact it has been used for years, only that for unknown reasons it has not been implemented in any cool techs until now.
The designer made a pot out of clay. The material is known for its porous surface, which allows water from inside the pot to get into contact with the surrounding air, evaporate and freely move out of the pot. Because the liquid changes its state, it results in cooling of an object. To make use of this, Feverie decided to place an aluminium pipe inside the pot, which also cools and allows circulation. The pot has a small electric blower, which fans the so-called “cooling slices”.
So, the principle is, hot air enters the pot from the bottom, it gets cooled as it travels up through the pipe, and then it goes out. Because of the simplicity of the system, the resources it consumes are really minimal. According to the maker, using as little as two liters of water, the temperature of a room can be brought down by 10 degrees Celsius.
Feverie does not specify how big the room should be, and the amount of water needed to cool let’s say a square meter of a confined space, but only the fact that such simple technology could do such wonders, shows that “simple and effective” is definitely possible.
Image (c) Thibault Faverie
Wow its a cool instrument for daily use. It’s nice to read about this latest invention of bio-air conditioner. Lets see when it would come in the market and available for purchase. So far the best way to cool room is using electronic ACs, The best place to purchase air conditioners is http://www.edsairconditioning.com
cool stuff – this would work in places of low humidity – high humidity areas along coastal regions in tropical countries, i doubt its effectiveness..