NREL Evaporative AC Could Reduce Energy Use by 50%–90%

GOLDEN, Colo.—The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has invented a new air-conditioning process that it claims has the potential to use 50% to 90% less energy than the most efficient current units.

The Desiccant-Enhanced evaporative air conditioner (DEVap) uses membrane technology to combine the efficiency of evaporative cooling and the drying potential of liquid desiccant salt solutions. "The idea is to revolutionize cooling, while removing millions of metric tons of carbon from the air," said NREL mechanical engineer Eric Kozubal, Associate Member ASHRAE, one of the inventors of the DEVap. NREL plans to eventually license the technology to industry. Read more.