JAN 22

John Barrie (whose name some of you may recognize from the byline on a number of EcoGeek articles) is the winner, along with Dr. Norbert Muller of Michigan State University, of the Boston Innovation Prize for a design for "a radically energy-efficient method of cooling and dehumidifying residential and small commercial spaces." The prize includes a $30,000 award.

Air conditioning may not be the most important thing on your mind right now if you are enjoying the frigid January temperatures. But, because air conditioning makes up a sizable percentage of the electricity used in the U.S. (up to 30% in some places), there are important energy benefits to a more efficient air conditioning system. But, in addition to the energy benefits this system offers, it has the added benefit of using water vapor as a refrigerant.

Barrie has described their winning entry:

Our winning submission is an air conditioner that uses water vapor as the refrigerant. When water vapor is used this way it is referred to as R-718. Water vapor can be up to 30% more efficient than traditional refrigerants, but engineering the compressor is difficult and expensive. In Europe where there are high energy costs, water vapor is used as a refrigerant in large projects. The economics of making a smaller scale R-718 compressor have, in the past, proven to be prohibitive. Critical components are commonly made out of titanium. The key to our winning submission is an economical and very efficient compressor invented by Dr. Müller. He invented a small and lightweight turbo compressor with an integral motor woven out of high-strength fibers.

Concern about ozone depletion and greenhouse effects of refrigerants that were released into the atmosphere were the big environmental concerns in the last couple decades. The Montreal Protocol helped to phase out the use of many of the most damaging fluorocarbon compounds which are most often used as refrigerants. Current refrigerants are less damaging to the atmosphere and to the environment, but still have some negative effects. Cooling systems that use water vapor as a refrigerant would completely eliminate environmental effects from the refrigerant getting into the atmosphere while making AC units as much as 30% more efficient.

Reducing energy usage and eliminating the use of harmful chemicals at the same time is innovation of the height of EcoGeekery, our hats are off to John.

links:
Sustainable Design Update
Michigan State announcement

Comments (13)

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written by Space, January 23, 2009

couldn't this be used to improve the efficiency or decrease the cost of other things?
Heat pumps?
engines?

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Yes It Can!
written by John Barrie, January 23, 2009

This technology can work in any application where we now use a refrigerant gas, even at below freezing temperatures. Water as a refrigerant can be mixed with anti freeze (there are many types) to work at sub freezing temps.

BTW - we are seeing very good numbers in tests! More to come!

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Catch
written by Clinch, January 24, 2009

What's the catch?
Being greener, still affordable, and 30% more efficent? There's got to be a catch.
-Is the lifetime shorter?
-Does it require more mantaince?
-Does it take up more space?
-Does it have a narrower range of working conditions?

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Not necessarily a Catch
written by Luis, January 27, 2009

There'd be a catch if you were doing things right, in the most optimal way, so that if you changed the trade-off of your performance parameters, if something got better it is because something else backed-off. But it is highly likely we've been doing things wrong, and all John and his colleague did was to enhance the method globally, so that better performance in some parameters is obtained with no harm to the rest.

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written by Tom Simpson, January 28, 2009

I just want to know what the timeline is for becoming available to home owners. Obama should accelerate this with his stimulous package.

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Captain
written by IggyDalrymple, January 28, 2009

I wish you cut the crap about ozone pollution and greenhouse effect. Increased efficiency is reason enough to promote a development like this. You lose credibility when you spout greenie hype.

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Creature Comforts Aside
written by dave, January 28, 2009

Refridgeration and food storage go hand in hand.We have come a long way from the root cellars,ice boxes and indeed common sense. Refridgeration is the most energy intense component of modern kitchens and food transportation.This is huuuuge.

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What about humid environments?
written by Ken, January 28, 2009

I wonder what the efficiency is in humid environments? Things like swamp coolers work well in dry climates. I look forward to seeing technology like this reach the mainstream market.

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Well Written Article
written by Jorge, January 28, 2009

Good job in your "spouting of Green" ideas, it's nice that you consider a wider set of values than just some pricks who are concerned with the bottom line, like oh well, it wiped out all the fish but we've made our toothpick, ye HAW

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To the Craptain!
written by Richard Davine, January 29, 2009

"You lose credibility when you spout greenie hype."
Ozone depletion was an environmental victory and recognised as a real international threat. And do I sense a "Climate Skeptic"?
You are obviously a fool.
I'm glad you can at least appreciate energy efficiency.
Frankly I think taking all things into account for all human endeavors, not just atmospheric, is consistent with the scientific precautionary principal.
Angry, small willied, right winged Nazis, like the Craptain can vent their frustration at Grandpa McCain and the Psycho Herbilly losing the election; but they're gonna have to suffer all the peace and prosperity along with the rest of us.
;^}

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Pres.
written by Carl F. Zinn, February 06, 2009

Can Antifreexe be sprayed into the air that people are breathing? Will this spraying cool in high humidity areas? The only system I have seen that beats this is a low temperature heat engine which is used as the condencer and converts the refridgerant heat to torque. The torque is used to drive the evaporator fans thus eliminating the condencer and evaporator fan motors. This greatly enhances the units eer.Will more people pay to get greener are to save on the electric bill?

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...
written by Carl F. Zinn, February 06, 2009

For tape of operating low temperature heat engine running on heat input of a garbage can full of warm water (160) F
request from above.

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Consultant
written by Edward Smith, February 08, 2009

Switching away from expensive refrigerants to water is an attractive improvement, and yet the cheapest, in the long run, and easiest method of reducing the energy required to cool air in enclosed areas, is to switch from an air-to-air system to an air-to-ground system. During the summer, when you are cooling, the air, your heat sink, is going to be hotter ( like 80 to 110 deg F). The ground, typically 50-55 deg F year roound, is a much more attractive heat sink. During your Thermodynamics classes it must have become evident that heat moves to cold with no effort, like water running downhill. However, contemporary cooling systems move heat from cold to hot and it takes considerable energy to do this. Geothermal cooling has been on the market for decades but because it requires some up front expenditures (like $10K more), most people bypass the long term savings for short term savings. The DOE has endorsed GeoThermal, there are numerous suppliers and they have an excellent industry association. Most systems use reversable heat pumps but at least technically you could just circulate the water through the heat exchange loops ( in 100' x 6" "wells") and the 50 deg water in the heat exchanger will cool the 70 deg air. Running a water circulation pump and air circulation fan is dramatically cheaper than existing systems using compressors.

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