Cooling Down Energy Consumption
Did you know that cold-natured conveniences like your air conditioning and refrigerator make up about 20% of energy consumption in residential areas and commercial buildings?
It’s such a drastic statistic that some researchers have taken notice and are taking steps towards coming up with an alternative method of cooling that is less power-hungry.
It’s not a new concept; several technologies are being developed in the search for alternative cooling methods. But did you ever think that sound waves could be the answer?
Researchers at Palo Alto Research Center think so. Researchers at the center are currently working on a method that could very well replace the traditional mechanical compressors that most of us have in our refrigerators.
The center of their research is the thermo-acoustic compressor—a mechanism that can either expand or compress gases with the use of sound waves.
(For those that weren’t so great at high school chemistry, keep in mind that expanding gas can cool things off while compressed gases generate heat). This device, which would allow the gases to expand at a regulated rate, would essentially serve as an automatic coolant of sorts.
In a lab setting, thermoacoustic compressors are primarily used in extreme situations to transform natural atmospheric gases into a very cold liquid state. While there is not yet a thermoacoustic compressor that can successfully be utilized in a home or office setting, there is currently a desire among researchers to create a thermoacoustic device more suitable for these environments.
So rather than turning elements such as nitrogen to a liquid, the “mini” version of this compressor could very well regulate the temperature of your fridge or apartment. If this wish becomes a reality, it is estimated that thermo-acoustic compressors could take a substantial chunk out of power consumption in the US—around a 13% drop.
You save money, reduce your electricity bills, and the environment is all the more better for it.