Utah Teens Invent Better Air Conditioner

Carl Youngblood writes "Two recent Utah high school graduates won the first-ever Ricoh Sustainable Development Award for inventing a better car air conditioner based on the Peltier effect. The peltier chips used in the device are more energy-efficient, last between 20 and 30 years, are solid-state, and don't harm the environment with ozone-depleting freon like today's car air conditioners."

Comments

Re:No more freon in cars

[AKAImBatman]

I *still* think that Cryocoolers are the way to go. You can't tell me that a Stirling or Pulse Tube cryocooler would cost that much more to mass produce than a regular AC unit. Not to mention that the engine load would drop to an unnoticable amount in comparison to today's AC units. Even the EPA's own documents mention Stirling coolers as an acceptable solution! :-)

cool things about this idea

[TRRosen]

1. works with electric cars

2. unit can be in passenger area and not in engine compartment

3. you could have several small units instead of one big one

4. flip the peltiers and you have a heater

5. no pulley being spun even when not in use

6. should be much lighter (although alternator would get bigger)

"can't tell"?

[SuperBanana]

No one notices a few Kilowatts disappearing. Except ricers.

I'm sorry, but you're completely full of shit. Every time my A/C compressor clicks on while I'm driving, I can tell; I drive a manual, and if I'm paying enough attention, I can tell especially if revs are low (ie 2k).

Vapour phase airconditioning uses direct power from the engine, which often has an output of 100+ Kilowatts.

You are making the assumption that the engine produces its power evenly across the band, which is outright garbage. Most engines make much more horsepower at high engine speed; better engines tend to keep making that power the closer they approach redline (at high engine speeds, resistance in exhaust and intake paths kills horsepower because volumetric efficiency drops).

The engine will not make NEARLY as much power down at ranges people typically use; ie 2000 to 3000 RPMs. Example- the current Ford Mustang engine (no, I don't drive one- just the first chart I could find) makes 250HP at 5,000RPM+. At 2,500 RPM, it makes 100HP. The chart started at 2,500; numbers probably drop to 50HP at 2000. Suddenly, an AC compressor that uses several HP becomes a two-digit percentage of total engine output. While humans suck at absolute measurements, we can be -really- good at picking up on the finest relative differences.

Also, maximum claimed horsepower is often under ideal circumstances; ie cool air temps, engine cold/warm not at full operating temp, lightweight oil, and at sea level. It's also always on a perfectly functioning engine; ie fresh air cleaner, ignition bits are all new, perfect compression in all cylinders, etc.

Re:/.ed

[modecx]

Yeah, of course this contraption ain't gonna be anywhere close to the efficiency of a decent/good refrigeration system.. I'm no AC guru, but I understand that refrigeration systems can be very very efficient. 80% on the low end and 90+% on the high end. That's pretty astonishing in the mechanical world, where typical engines are less than half that efficient.

"Invent" is a pretty strong word when you can go and find those mini in-car /desktop "silent refrigerators" using peltier chips at Cost-Co for $100.. They're not at all efficient, but if the need scratches... Itch it.

If one determines that it takes 5kw to cool a space then that's what it takes. At that point, it dosen't matter except for efficiency and other factors (i.e. environmental concerns) what you use to move the heat, but that's the power you'll need to provide... Unless you're using magic or mutant powers or something.

In this car, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!