Air conditioning

Rather than small silica beads, Blue Frontier’s cooling technology relies on a salt solution that’s so concentrated, it can pull moisture from the air.   Here’s how Blue Frontier’s cooling system works: first, a stream of air passes through a channel and over a thin layer of desiccant, which pulls moisture out of the air. Next, the now-dry air goes through an evaporative cooling step, which lowers the temperature of the air (basically the same way sweat cools your skin).  In the evaporative cooling step, the air is…

Earlier this year, the UK attempted to go coal-free. But an increased need for air conditioning forced the usually temperate country to reverse itself and restart an old coal-fired power plant — after only 46 days.This is a cycle that's likely to get more vicious as hotter weather leads to more air conditioning, which exacerbates both global warming and urban heat islands. But maybe we don't need nearly as much AC as we think. The answer isn't to suffer in pools of sweat but to use scientific knowledge about human…

Last Updated: May 30, 2023, 16:57 ISTMumbai AC Double Decker Bus (Photo: India TV News)The swanky double-decker buses boast a host of luxurious amenities that will undoubtedly impress even the most discerning passengersIn a bid to revolutionize the daily commute for thousands of office-goers, Mumbai is all set to introduce state-of-the-art air-conditioned double-decker buses. The new fleet, operating from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Cuffe Parade via Nariman Point, aims to provide a comfortable and…

With summers now warmer than ever, enjoying the great outdoors inside a stiflingly hot tent is becoming less appealing than a vacation spent relaxing in an air-conditioned hotel room. That could soon change, however, as a University of Connecticut researcher has created a new fabric that could potentially cool the inside of a tent by up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit.The fabrics currently used to make tents are engineered to block out winds and water to help keep theirinhabitants dry and comfortable, but they tend to work…

Image: Joe Techapanupreeda (Shutterstock)Climate change is throwing a wrench into an unexpected place: the workings of data centers. As the frequency of heat waves grows worldwide, these critical pieces of technology infrastructure are melting down more and more often, threatening a foundational element of the internet.In July, Google’s and Oracle’s London-based data centers were forced offline when Britain experienced record-high temperatures of over 40 degrees celsius. The heat wave rendered their data center cooling…

Home electronics were once status symbols and often the center of the living room, but consumers now tend to prefer gadgets and gizmos that camouflage themselves into an Instagram-friendly space. That now includes wall-mounted air conditioners, which LG is keepingout of sight behind an LCD art screen. LG’s Artcool Gallery air conditioners aren’t themselves new, but previous versions of the product featured a front-facing picture frame that users could either fill with printed pieces of art or photos that could be swapped…

Modern air conditioners typically emit greenhouse gases and are energy intensive.Image: Dirk Waem (Getty Images)The path to creative climate solutions is paved with the skeletons of a million startups, but Blue Frontier wants to be different. Blue Frontier is chasing the dream of cleaner air conditioning systems with its use of a concentrated salt solution, and results are so promising that the company just got a big check from Bill Gates.In the dog days of summer, most of us try to gravitate toan air conditioned place…

Climate change is making extreme heat the norm across more of the world, increasing the need for adaptation. But in the case of AC, some experts are concerned about how to balance that need with the harms the solutions can cause. Global AC sales more than tripled between 1990 and 2016, according to a 2018 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). That growth is likely to continue, with energy use for cooling worldwide expected to triple again between now and 2050. Hot countries like India and Indonesia…

It’s currently very hot in the Southwest. In parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Texas, today’s predicted highs are well above 100 degrees. Those scorching three digit temperatures are expected to increase and persist across the region through the weekend, in the first heatwave of the season for some parts of the country.The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings for portions of western Arizona, southeast and central California, southern Nevada, and one county in Utah. In parts of California’s…