Can the Sun Keep You Cool?

I probably don’t have to tell you that it’s been hot this week—almost every state in the country reported a high temperature above 90°F somewhere within its borders yesterday. And as we all know, oppressive heat means oppressive energy consumption, a vicious cycle that perpetuates the effects of global warming. New York City’s power company, Con Edison, reported all-time usage records earlier this week as people remained indoors with their air conditioning cranked, causing scattered blackouts across the city (our managing editor has been without power for three days). But what if our air conditioners were able to harness some of the sun’s wicked heat and turn it into the life-saving cool air on which our comfort depends? Florida-based Matteran Energy might be able to help us do just that.

Instead of using expensive photovoltaic cells to convert solar radiation to electricity directly, Matteran’s solution uses far-cheaper thermal-collection technology to heat a synthetic fluid with a very low boiling point (around 58°F), creating enough steam to drive a specially designed turbine. And although a fluid-circuit system converting heat into electricity is nothing new, Matteran’s innovative solution increases the system’s efficiency to a point where small-scale applications make economic sense (see the animation on the company’s Web site for a more thorough explanation).

So far, Matteran has created only small amounts of refrigeration, but the technology is in place to take the next step, creating a unit with the equivalent cooling of a standard window-mounted A/C that is powered entirely by the sun’s heat—something I don’t think our carbon-choked  planet will be running out of anytime soon. —John Mahoney

Link – matteranenergy.com (via Treehugger)

Related:
It's Pretty Easy Being Green
The Life Aquatic

Comments

[constovich]

His technology acheives 5.4% thermal efficency, solar cells are between 12-20% efficency. The benefit of his technology is that it is cheap, but how much cheaper than than crappy solar cells which are 6% efficent?

[vanjoe]

Interesting setup but the concept isn't entirely new. Kerosene and gas fridges have been around for years. It's rather strange to think of fire keeping your food cold.

[funke75]

I personly think the idea deserves some merrit. With energy bills rising the way they are, I dont think we should dismiss any addition to the consumers money saving arsenal. I don't see truely self sustaining homes being able to survive on only one sorce of engery. Solar energy both light and thermal are free so why not employ both. My only worry is that their end product could wined up alot bulkier then the average consumer is willing to put up with. And from what I could see from the pictures posted that might not be the case.

[Erich J. Knight]

Dear Folks:

This is the biggest break through in AC I've seen. 1/3 costs, My only question is if there is a maintainence issue with the build up of deposits of any sorts in the channels due to poor water quality.

http://www.coolerado.com/NewsAndNotable/DelphiIdalexCoolerado.htm

[funke75]

while there may be maintainence needed i dont think that one should be a problem since it doesnt use watter but a "synthetic fluid with a very low boiling point"

[SAl]

matteran's solution is interesting but
I don't know if you have heard about this company. Hydrogen Technologies Applications, Inc. of Clearwater Florida that has invented a gas generating machine that converts distilled water into a gas they call Aquygen (HHO). Its being used right now for heating, welding & transportation. The generator operates for less than $1.00 per hour. Uses approximately. 5 kilowatts & a quart of water while producing approximately. 1500 liters of Aquygen per hour. This is a new commercial form of hydrogen technology thats ready now & much cheaper & power full then fuel cell tech. Did I mention they also use the gas in their autos an get 50% better MPG. Their web site is www.hytechapps.com phone 727-531-5979 The machines are built and ready for sale NOW. According to physicist Ruggero Maria Santilli in an article published Available online at www.sciencedirect.com HE2131. It's A new gaseous and combustible form of water. You should really be interested in this one

[email protected]

[kosta]

To the above commenter:

I have heard of this HHO, or "Aguygen" it is commonly referred to as Dihydrogen Monoxide. I dont think many people understand the ramifications of the use of such a dangerous chemical, and the proliferation and continued use of Dihydrogen Monoxide as a power source is just beyond belief to me. What some people will do to make a buck.

Just look at the assosciated health risks and environmental damage that Dihydrogen Monoxide or "Aguygen" is attributed to:

*Prolonged exposure to solid DHMO causes severe tissue damage.
*Death due to accidental inhalation of DHMO, even in small quantities.
*Excessive ingestion produces a number of unpleasant though not typically life-threatening side-effects.
*DHMO is a major component of acid rain.
*Gaseous DHMO can cause severe burns.
*Contributes to soil erosion.
*Leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals.
*Contamination of electrical systems often causes short-circuits.
*Exposure decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.
*Found in biopsies of pre-cancerous tumors and lesions.
*Often associated with killer cyclones in the U.S. Midwest and elsewhere.
*Thermal variations in DHMO are a suspected contributor to the El Nino weather effect.

There is an excellent web resource aimed at educating the public to Dihydrogen monoxide and its dangers can be found at http://www.dhmo.org/

Someone should do something about this...

[John Doe]

The previous poster Sal to be mildy blunt is a moron. That is a spoof site setup by a university professor studying the naivety of people and what it takes to convince typically rational people to believe almost anything. The substance that dhmo.org is referring to is WATER... People please don't blindly accept things as true, that is what got this current president elected.

[Bob]

From looking at the animation, it seems like it would require wasting lots of external "cooling water" (which obviously has to be cool enough to be cooler than the boiling point of this fluid anyway), which is in short supply on hot days. Has anyone taken the cost of this into consideration?

[Bob]

P.S. and if you're going to do that, then why not just use this "cooling water" to cool down your house?

[JasonMixer]

I think "Kosta" is using said spoof site to insinuate that the above poster "Sai" and his grand technology is a moron in proposing that HHO is any different than water.

HHO=H2O=Dihydrogen Monoxide...

think harder, and don't blindly accept things as true.

[Clay]

actually, everything the 'spoof' site says is true. Every single point listed in Sal's post, absolutely true.

*Prolonged exposure to solid DHMO causes severe tissue damage.

Frostbite is fun for the whole family!

*Death due to accidental inhalation of DHMO, even in small quantities.

Nobody's ever drowned from inhaling water, that's crazy talk.

*Excessive ingestion produces a number of unpleasant though not typically life-threatening side-effects.

Well, what if I have to dodge some crazy pitbull or something on the way to the can?

*DHMO is a major component of acid rain.

Water in rain? Really? Interesting...

*Gaseous DHMO can cause severe burns.

Steam can burn you? Sounds fishy...

*Contributes to soil erosion.

duh, Grand Canyon anyone?

*Leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals.

what?!? Metal rusting from exposure to water?!? Insane.

*Contamination of electrical systems often causes short-circuits.

No way man, I always take a bath with my toaster, keeps the water warm.

*Exposure decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.

Unless you buy some of those fancy unskiddable tires!

ok, now even I'm bored with this post...but, fact remains, all that stuff is most certainly true about water. So, quit saying it isn't, cuz it is, heh.

[blahblah]

Don't write off the HHO concept. The website ( hytechapps ) is a bit hokey and for some reason they want to obfuscate what is going on ... but it's real... to a point. Supposedly this guy has invented an efficient method of electrolysis. What he does is split off the h2 from the O ( or rather 2 molecules of H2 and 1 O2 ) and then immediately ignite them... get it?
The problem with the concept is that you have to generate this on the fly, or you will end up with the problem of having to have storage for all the O2 and H2 you produce... which is far too volumeous to be stored in a car in gas form if you seperate them, and I don't need to tell you how dangerous it is if you don't seperate them.

[Grant]

Generating hydrogen and oxygen via the electrolysis of water doesn't produce net energy. Period. The energy going in as electricity just comes back out as combustable hydrogen and oxygen.
Conservation of Energy: It's not just a good idea, it's the law.

[person]

Uh... First law of Thermodynamics? If you need to produce H2 and O2 from H2O, the energy required to split the two would be equal to or less than the energy acquired from combining the two in combustion.
(Damn, Grant got to it before I did!)

[Skip Barber]

My faith in the readership is falling fast.. is science no longer required in school? I gotta admit the "dihydrogen" bit was funny though. One inaccuracy however is that water doesn't cause electrical shorts; dissolved minerals in the water do. Electric stuff works fine in pure water.

[Slow down, Grant]

I think you missed the point, Grant - the generation of H2 + H2 + O2 time-shifts the collection of energy. You can spend 24 hours building up the gas, and then use it when you need it.

It's not like the whole fossil fuel cycle doesn't have energy loss, either ...

The *real* problem between Brown's Gas is that storing is safely isn't easy. Hydrogen gas tunnels through tiny gaps that nothing else can pass through, and burns with this nearly invisible blue flame.

[Brian]

Remember, hydrogen as used isn't a fuel source, it's really acting as a battery.

A normal battery (AA, AAA, D, C) takes approximately 2,000 units of energy to produce for every unit of energy you get back.

And batteries are terrible for the environment, and terribly inefficient.

So if a little browns gas is easy to produce, not really stored because it's generated on demand, and quite efficient (certainly more than .05% with batteries), then I'm all for it.

[Suricou Raven]

Im not an expert, but I know a little about thermodynamics and... this just doesn't feel right somehow. Can we get someone qualified and unbiased to just check this thingie is even possible, not in the relm of the perpetual-motion machine?

[Ashton]

Mabye possible prototypes that can benefit humanity should be shrouded from the public until their release. What do we know? Oh yeah, and I think that the "perpetual motion" machine is scientifically impossible...anyone agree with me here?

[Joe]

I looked for anyone using the welder to see what they think- whether they like it or don't like it, but wasn't able to find anyone as of a few months ago. I only find people like me speculating this way or that way, or trying to find out what is the deal with this.

In my heart, I feel that there is a way to split water efficiently, but we'll see if this is it.

[myself]

The law of conservation of energy applies to closed systems, kids. A car is most certainly not a closed system.

[Dave]

The universe is a closed system. :-)

[Random passerby]

"One inaccuracy however is that water doesn't cause electrical shorts; dissolved minerals in the water do. Electric stuff works fine in pure water."

Actually even pure water will dissocate into H+ and OH-, which means it will conduct electricity, abeit poorly because the dissocation amount is fairly small.

[Chris]

Hytechapps might be serious, but they're
possibly (I'm an engineer not a lawyer)
at the least OBSFUCATING what they're doing.

Electrolyse (distilled) water and all you'll
get in Hydrogen and Oxygen.

That's it. There isn't some miraculous other
gas that you can get from that.

And - TANSTAAFL. Thermodynamics wins the
day over the... I won't use the word "Cranks"
or "Nutcases" or anything other that might
be considered Libel (or similar).

Hydrogen - Novel? No... Suitable additive for
(quote) ANY STANDARD FUEL (/quote).
Definitely NOT.

What worries me more is that the company
is based in Clearwater, FL.

Chris

/Actually a rocket scientist