This DIY Zero-Electricity Air Conditioner Can Cool Down Homes

originally posted by: Phage
Sure. And while your at it, insulate the roof and walls too. This is cheap. Really, really cheap.

So is a mylar 'space blanket' as a roof reflector.

originally posted by: blkcwbyhat

If you fill an air tank,the tank will get hot..release the gas,its cold.

If you take a stream of air, run it through a nozzle, then back to ambient pressure, it's going out the same temp as it came in, except for friction work which will be negligible.

The device your thinking of is called a vortex chiller,runs on compressed air,somehow,but the air of the outlet end comes out around 40 degrees,we had a few in a machine shop I worked in.
Look up Georges Ranque, vortex tube

If you re-examine my post, you'll see I mention that it was a step up from a vortex tube, and had a part in the center that rotated. It was supposed to reduce the volume and pressure of air needed, and the guy claimed it had a lot better separation and energy efficiency than a vortex tube. Similar, but not the same.

eta: I can't believe I can't remember the inventor's name. It's going to drive me nuts until I find the article again. Thanks, ATS, I'm going to become a mad engineer now.

a reply to: Bedlam
Ok. Never mind.
It's a dumb idea and they are lying about it in order to...what? Exactly?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Bedlam
Ok. Never mind.
It's a dumb idea and they are lying about it in order to...what? Exactly?

Self delusion, maybe? I've seen a lot of people convince themselves that something works when it doesn't.

a reply to: Bedlam

They are lying about the temperature difference?
Maybe, I guess. But it would seem to be a pretty straight forward experiment.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Bedlam

They are lying about the temperature difference?
Maybe, I guess. But it would seem to be a pretty straight forward experiment.

You'd think. As a first step, I went to their site looking for data, but no site.

a reply to: Phage

There ya go--

applying Ocham's razor again!

Though some folks will likely miss that without a "/sarc" tag. LOL.

= = =

Love y'all's much more knowledgeable dialogue on this.

I suppose the fan used in Taipei in a very humid air and a very hot dorm room . . . was effective by evaporating sweat? Though I didn't sweat all night. It certainly was not equal to refrigeration air-conditioning. However, it was a LOT better than no fan.

What is it about a breeze that is cooling? Please educate this ignorant shrink.

a reply to: Bedlam

Perhaps you could do a smaller experiment with such a system?

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Bedlam
Ok. Never mind.
It's a dumb idea and they are lying about it in order to...what? Exactly?

Self delusion, maybe? I've seen a lot of people convince themselves that something works when it doesn't.

Yeah.

We call them Democrats.

= = =

I suppose I could have resisted. But it was tooooooooooo rich an opportunity just begging for such a reply.

Besides it's late and I needed the humor.

originally posted by: BO XIAN

I suppose the fan used in Taipei in a very humid air and a very hot dorm room . . . was effective by evaporating sweat?

What is it about a breeze that is cooling? Please educate this ignorant shrink.

Mostly, it's evaporation of sweat. Secondarily, it breaks up the boundary layer around your body. Tertiary, it enhances conduction of heat into the air from your body, but that's only a good thing if the air is cooler than your body, otherwise that part works backwards.

With this, though, the air stream it provides will break up not far from the window. It obstructs the air flow somewhat, too. While there may be something I'm missing, I'd like to see the data. If it's collected properly. Which should be really straightforward to do.

Man, gotta love seeing Bedlam and Phage go at it. I'd like to see a full blown debate between you two. Let's get Bill Nye to moderate.

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
Man, gotta love seeing Bedlam and Phage go at it. I'd like to see a full blown debate between you two. Let's get Bill Nye to moderate.

Heck, I'm not even sure I disagree with him. I just hear "it's 5 degrees cooler", look at the apparatus, and ask 'why?' and/or
'really? how do you know?', which Phage also asked.

They don't really give you any data.

a reply to: savemebarry

I'm guessing (I'm no engineer) that the funnel shape, with the larger portion facing the interior of the structure, would allow cooler air to be sucked into the hotter enclosure, even on days when wind is not present. I don't think that an open space in the wall would have the same effect.

Basically, I think that this design would create a bit of airflow even when airflow is not present.

ETA: Nevermind, I'm having brain farts today. Possibly even brain sharts, as heat always transfers to cooler areas without any external energy applied. I don't see how this design would change that in any way.

The more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that this is just a placebo effect of some sort, but who knows.

maybe the bottles concentrate the air flow, so instead of a barely felt wide air movement you get smaller concentrated pockets that are easier sensed.


news article wi pictures
www.geek.com...

Aint you guys ever wondered about why Mexican and Spanish houses have chimneys? Yes they can be used as fire chimneys but they are for the cooling air flow. Ie. hot air rises through the chimneys which pulls cool air in through the doors. Quite simple really. Oh, and when they build blocks of appartments they are built around a central courtyard and all the appartments have openings into the courtyard/chimney for the same affect.

Air conditioning is a closed loop system, with a negative pressure
at the front end and the works driving the air-flow.

A non-powered system is utilized out West - adobe buildings which retain cold
and emanate it through the day. Low solar gain and a tightly sealed
building are the key to efficiency and cost effectiveness.

What they should do in India or Bangladesh, is for the government
install power plants and efficient cooling in all residences. Or, the
government should relocate all of them to places where they can
receive the cooling and other necessities of modern life.

a reply to: BO XIAN

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
Man, gotta love seeing Bedlam and Phage go at it. I'd like to see a full blown debate between you two. Let's get Bill Nye to moderate.

INDEED.

I want the popcorn concession!

a reply to: Drawsoho

Sounds quite reasonable, to me.

I grew up to the age of 10 in an adobe mud hut.

It was great in both summer and winter in terms of temperature. I loved sitting in the very thick walled window sill and watching the snow fall.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
Man, gotta love seeing Bedlam and Phage go at it. I'd like to see a full blown debate between you two. Let's get Bill Nye to moderate.

Heck, I'm not even sure I disagree with him. I just hear "it's 5 degrees cooler", look at the apparatus, and ask 'why?' and/or
'really? how do you know?', which Phage also asked.

They don't really give you any data.

Yeah, it does seem like you guys are on the same side of the debate more or less. Though I do like the points that you made Bedlam. Even someone as scientifically unworthy and challenged as myself can't imagine how this idea could actually work the way they said it does.

originally posted by: crayzeed
Aint you guys ever wondered about why Mexican and Spanish houses have chimneys?

Yeah, but that's convection, and it's why the chimneys point UP. You're not going to get a convective flow through pop bottles in a window that you wouldn't have in a window that was just...open.