Prize-winning a/c unit optimized for western climes
Nov. 9, 2009
The secret is a form of indirect evaporative cooling which makes the device twice as efficient as competitors.
Air conditioner manufacturer Coolerado in Denver recently won the Western Cooling Challenge, sponsored by UC Davis, with a unit designed specially for the hot, arid environments of the western U.S. While most air conditioners are actually designed for muggy climates of the East Coast, the Coolerado H-80 system uses a form of indirect evaporative cooling via the Maisotsenko Cycle. In a nutshell, outside air is humidified and then de-humidified through a series of plastic plates.
The innovation looks particularly promising for use in California, where air conditioning typically accounts for 30% of peak summer demand. According to Mark Modera, director of the UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center, “…the Coolerado H-80 tests indicate almost 80% energy-use savings and over 60% peak-demand reduction.”
The H-80 was designed principally for light commercial buildings but Coolerado also offers models suitable for homes and other buildings, each with an EER (energy-efficiency ratio) of 40 or more
