Solar cooling [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Yago]

For those of you in the dry west a "swamp cooler" can provide low energy
cooling by only a small fan and water to evaporate.  Those of us in the very
humid east and south need a refrigeration cycle to provide any real cooling.
It does not help to reduce the dry bulb temperature without lowering
humidity, and that requires a surface( cooling coil) that is below the wet
bulb or dew point temperature of the room air.

Many things have been tried to avoid using a cooling coil and air handling
unit to reduce energy, but most have condensation problems (like cooling a
slab floor).  I am working with a local university entering the solar home
competition and we are considering a desiccant cooling idea.  This was used
in the early 1930's before mechanical refrigeration, with a chemical that
absorbs moisture and holds it until it is heated.  Since solar thermal can
"drive" off the moisture during a re-charge cycle, we feel this may be a
solution.

I have also seen several systems in Europe that have a large cooling coil
that looks like a ladder that installs near the ceiling or as a window
valance of a room.  The coil has a condensate "tray" under it to catch the
condensate which is piped out by gravity, and uses natural room air
convection to cause cold air to fall and warm air to rise up to be re-cooled
(no fan or noise!!)

As I said, the problem is not cooling air, the problem is lowering the
humidity!

Jeff Yago

- - -
To send a message:
 RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: 
 http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette:
 http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios:
 www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator:
 michael.welch at homepower.com

==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://Topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9
Or send an email To: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at Topica.com
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

T O P I C A  -- Learn More. Surf Less.
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose.
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01
==^================================================================