Washington State University researchers have created a 60-square-foot chamber to test passive systems that use wind towers along with water evaporation instead of electricity to cool spaces.
Commenting on the project, Omar Al-Hassawi, Lead Author of the study in the journal Energies and an Assistant Professor in WSU’s School of Design and Construction, has stated, “Finding cooling methods that don’t require putting more greenhouse gases into the air is crucial to helping a growing population adapt to climate change. Cooling is increasingly in demand in buildings, especially as the climate gets hotter. There might be inclusion of mechanical systems, but how can we cool buildings to begin with – before relying on the mechanical systems?”
The test chamber that the researchers have developed is solar powered with battery storage and is completely independent of grid power. It can be heated to a temperature range between 125 and 130 degrees Fahrenheit year-round to test cooling innovations, measuring the temperature, humidity and air velocity within and around a cooling system. The researchers calibrated the chamber using the results of a full-scale experiment that was conducted on a passive, downdraft cooling system tested under the hot dry conditions of Phoenix, Arizona.
Explaining further, Al-Hassawi said, “We can simulate extreme conditions. With smaller scale models, we can also do much quicker tests and get results sooner than having to wait on large-scale prototype construction.”
Buildings consume about 60% of the world’s electricity with nearly 20% of that going to keep them cool, according to Al-Hassawi. In the U.S., almost 90% of residential homes and apartments use mechanical air conditioners
