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July 29, 2005
Cool!
Two recent high school graduates have won the first-ever Ricoh Sustainable Development Award for the work they, and a friend, did for a science fair project. They developed an energy efficient, non-Freon air conditioner for automobiles. The technology uses a Peltier chip, which up to now, has been confined to cooling small devices like computers. There are even some coolers, like for your picnics, that use this device.
These boys wanted to do something for the environment and the economy, and decided this was the project for them. It's energy efficient because it doesn't take power from the motor to run. It instead taps into the electrical system to work. U.S. drivers presently use about 7.9 billion gallons of gasoline annually, just for cooling their cars. This device will save 3.9 billion gallons, or $10 billion at today�s gas prices.
It'd been thought that Peltier chips wasn't good for cooling big spaces because of their energy inefficiencies, but these boys seem to have broken that barrier, or mind set. Their succes has also caught the attention of not only Ricoh but also others, like the E.P.A.
As the technology they developed is used to cool cars, you can be sure that someone else will be working on adapting it to take to the next level -- cooling rooms and entire buildings. Not only is this technology energy efficient and Freon-free, it's quiet and doesn't vibrate, as traditional air conditioners do. It sounds like a great technology for hotels, restaurants, spas, cruise ships, etc.
It's just around the corner, cooling your hospitality venue to keep your guests comfortable, while saving energy at the same time -- with a small, effecient, Peltier chip.
Posted by Kit Cassingham
