Evaporative cooling – Dustin
Indirect Vs. Direct Cooling
Indirect – 2 fans
Uses 7x less power than an AC
Sustainable
Does the water evaporate at a constant rate?
Solar power –
How much power will the fan need?
12 V, maybe 24 V
How much power will the pump need?
How much power can you generate with a hand crank?
Can you use PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to power the entire system?
Solar powered coolers, AC’s on the market
Batteries – Kylie
Power -Meghan
What will require power?
Fan ~12 V
MCU – 5V
Pump –
Sensors
Temperature Sensor
Ambient Light Sensor with Servo to adjust solar panel to ideal angle
MCU- Meghan, Dustin
What requires an MCU?
A/D Conversion
Temperature sensor
Battery storage
I/O ports
Fans – Colton
Target market – Kylie, Nicky
Communities that lack the luxury of an air conditioning unit
“In San Diego, 10.8 percent of homes sold in the past year had central air conditioning.” In Revised Problem Statement
https://www.10news.com/news/making-it-in-san-diego/buyers-renters-willing-to-pay-more-for-homes-with-air-conditioning
neighborhoods have been dubbed “urban heat islands,” where, according to NOAA research, temperatures can reach up to 20 degrees hotter than in more affluent coastal communities.
“We’re seeing more people die from extreme heat every year,” said Heidi Vonblum, deputy director of the city’s planning department, who oversaw the data collection effort. “There is definitely an urgency to address this now.”
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/environment/story/2021-09-13/san-diego-citizen-scientists-extreme-heat
Power Outages
Rolling blackout outages in San Diego may last between 60 and 90 minutes
https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/environmental-services/pdf/energy/news/poweroutageoverview.pdf
Relative humidity levels
For optimal cooling effects, a swamp cooler will work best in the hottest time of the day and when humidity levels are below 50% (the lower the humidity, the better).
https://www.newair.com/blogs/learn/common-swamp-cooler-complaints-how-to-troubleshoot-your-evaporative-cooler#:~:text=Foroptimalcoolingeffectsa,thehumiditythebetter).
San Diego Annual Humidity Level: 61.6 %
http://www.san-diego.climatemps.com/humidity.php
Aligns with policies aimed at mitigating climate change
Materials
Evaporative coolers make it easy to include filters to make cleaner air
Swamp vac’s or evaporative coolers are most effective in low humidity areas
Removing heat – Jabi
Evaporative Cooling
The air conditioner in a central heating and cooling system provides cool air through ductwork inside your home, by providing a process that draws out the warm air inside, removing its heat.
https://www.trane.com/residential/en/resources/hvac-basics/how-does-an-air-conditioner-work/
Constraints:
In a window
Able to be lifted by one person (~80 lb max?)
Requires no mounts or external wiring (standalone)
Innovative Ideas:
Fan Only Mode
Temp. controlled (incorporated temp sensor to determine whether or not it should power fan)
Wall charging
Mechanical charging
What they really need…
An evaporative cooling fan that lowers temperature in a room
Info on Evap Coolers:
https://www.airconco.com/how-evaporative-coolers-work/
https://www.newair.com/blogs/learn/what-are-evaporative-coolers
Patents: