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New Air Conditioner Process Cuts Energy Use 50-90%
necro81 writes "The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory has announced that it has developed a new method for air conditioning that reduces energy use by 50-90%. The DEVap system (Desiccant-Enhanced eVaporative air conditioner) cools air using evaporative cooling, which is not new, but combines the process with a liquid dessicant for pulling the water vapor out of the cooled air stream. The liquid dessicant, a very strong aqueous solution of lithium chloride or sodium chloride, is separated from the air stream by a permeable hydrophobic membrane. Heat is later used to evaporate water vapor back out — heat that can come from a variety of sources such as solar or natural gas. The dessicants are, compared to typical refrigerants like HCFCs, relatively benign on the environment."
I lost interest at this point. Wake me up when biochemists and medical doctors get a chance to run test case groups about the adverse effects of lithium in their localized atmosphere, typically inhaled into the lungs and later causing one's sense of reality to become skewed.
Promote better insulation solutions that are efficient and cheap to deploy. It's far easier to regulate a room at a fixed temperature when the control system is properly insulated and thus eliminates the need for A/C. Heat Transfer is a standard course for us Mechanical Engineers and though I do realize billions upon billions has been made by developing HVAC systems [Home A/C] for the average idiot, the average idiot is far better off fiscally making their homes standards efficient in insulation [R30 in the exterior walls, R45-60 [depending on your temperate zone] in the ceiling, R30 in the sub-flooring and a variable speed 95% efficient furnace at 68% year round than they are throwing in a damn A/C solution. The HVAC industry doesn't give two bits about the consumer. This energy savings is a means to sell people more unnecessary A/C at much higher prices when more conventional solutions apply.
Sell it to corporations. I'm sure they'd love to deploy multi-million dollar HVAC systems rather than bring their buildings up to code.