Air conditioners guzzle energy – it is said an average air conditioner consumes 20 times more energy than a ceiling fan. Too much use of these cooling machines, therefore can deal a hammer blow to the world’s climate goals. To tackle the issue, a clutch of researchers from National University of Singapore (NUS) have built a new type of air conditioner that uses water as a cooling technology instead of the energy guzzling compressors and chemical refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon that can harm the environment.

USPs of the Water-based Air Conditioner

Hailed as a game-changing technology, it has the capability to supplant the traditional air-cooling systems that has been used over a century now. Apart from being eco-friendly, the new water-based air conditioner is portable and can be used both indoors and outdoors. Besides, it can also be customized to suit different weather conditions and steals a march over the traditional expensive air-conditioners by being cost-effective to produce.

The water-based air conditioner consumes 40.0% less energy than the currently used compressor-based air-conditioners and helps attain a temperature of 18 degree Celsius.

And it does not end there! There is still more to go. The unique system also produces potable drinking water while it cools ambient air.

The air-conditioning system developed by researchers in NUS leverages an innovative membrane technology to suck out moisture from humid outdoor air. The air, which is dehumidified, is then cooled using a dew-point cooling system that uses water.