About This Project

3.6 billion people currently live in areas with extreme temperatures! This project explores innovative cooling methods, focusing on modular fans with large diameters to reduce energy consumption. With AC systems using significant power and harmful refrigerants, there's a need for efficient cooling as global demand rises. I aim to develop cheap solutions that align with the growing need for effective and environmentally friendly cooling technologies.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

This past quarter I was enrolled in Manu's class; Frugal Science. In this course, I spent 10 weeks learning about frameworks, solutions, and rapid prototyping. I chose the problem of cooling because I have a background in mechanical engineering courses with an interest in energy. At large, I'm interested in climate problems. This specific focus was the emerging interest in a collection of courses and subjects I'd been interested in. Technologies like ACs and fans are designed very inefficiently! But prior civilizations, societies, and Mother Nature have all faced the issue of hot temperatures (those aren't necessarily new). But the technologies that used to exist have been forgotten. I'd like to re-open and explore those!

What is the significance of this project?

The significance of this project is in its large impact. The number of people experiencing deadly heat will rise from 3.6 billion to 5 billion in 2030! That is just a mere 6 years away. On top of this, we're using a massive amount of power for cooling. 2000 TWh (around the world) are currently consumed by fans and air conditioners. For some perspective, a nuclear plan on average produces 1 TWh a year. Designing cooling systems that use less energy or (no energy at all) can have a massive impact on overall energy consumption.

What are the goals of the project?

Frugality is a key aspect of this project, which aims to develop a cooling system that costs less than $20. The system should effectively cool people down by 10°C, employing methods such as evaporative, radiative, or passive cooling. Additionally, the design must prioritize ease of transportation and installation. The installation process should be straightforward, requiring no professional help and relying solely on pictorial instructions, making it accessible even to those who find textual instructions challenging.