Air conditioning is undoubtedly something that can significantly increase energy consumption at home. In the summer months, when the temperature soars, it is a good ally to cope with the heat. The problem is that, if it is not used properly, the bill can increase a lot. It is true that in recent years more efficient models have appeared, but even so it is something that we must control. In this article, we echo a technology that could help reduce consumption.
This technology is not really new, although it would be new when used in domestic air conditioners. We are going to explain what it consists of and talk about whether it is really useful or not. Anything that allows you to reduce energy consumption, especially in appliances that consume so much energy, is always going to be positive.
Can there be air conditioners with lower consumption?
The operation of a common air conditioner, the one you may have at home, is based on cycles in which the key is the air compressor. The refrigerant alternates between a liquid and gaseous state, in order to extract heat outside. It uses a compressor, which has the mission of changing from a gaseous to a liquid state. At the same time, it passes through an expansion valve and reduces the pressure and, therefore, returns to the gaseous state.
It is a continuous cycle and the objective is for the hot air to leave the house. In this way, we can cool a room. We will achieve that the temperature decreases, until the desired temperature is reached. For this to be possible, it is necessary to have an indoor unit, which contains the evaporator, an expansion valve, an outdoor unit, which has the condenser, as well as the compressor. This whole process requires energy, so consumption can be high.
But could there be a technology that is different and helps save energy? What they are proposing from How to Geekis to use what is known as an absorption refrigeration system. What it does is that, when the water evaporates in the evaporator, it creates a cooling effect. That vapor is absorbed by a material, such as silica. It is not new at all, but it is something that is used in large spaces, since it takes up a lot of space. It is not so valid for a home.
So, can it actually be used for domestic use? It’s something that Nostromo Energy has come up with and they call it IceBrick. What they’re proposing is using a system that uses huge blocks of ice in buildings. During the hours of lower demand for the building, it would freeze those blocks of ice and then access the stored energy to cool it down when needed.
For the moment, they have carried out a test in a hotel, the Beverly Hilton. It uses both freezing and cooling technology. According to the report, this can reduce energy consumption by 34%. It is certainly interesting to reduce air conditioning consumption by a third in summer.
It seems that, at least in the short term, this could only be useful in large buildings with a central cooling system. However, who knows if in the future this technology could also be applied to domestic air conditioners and change their use and savings forever.
