why all this criticism? yes this is similar to what iranians (persians) were using to make ice through evaporative cooling many hundreds of years ago. but it's an improvement over that. the fact that a more primitive version already exists does not make this one an outrageous copy. it's like saying "yeah we have 286 CPUs why would we need dual core now??" because they are better! improved!

this brings back memories for i got on this board for the first time a few months ago while researching ancient technologies which we could use today for use in remote or poor areas with very little energy, materials cost or maintenance.

anyway i'll try to make one in the next few days/weeks since the air is quite dry inside during this time of the year when i have to turn up the heat. it should work with any warm dry air not just direct sunshine although the sunshine would make it more efficient since it speeds up evaporation.

Originally posted by SkepticalSpectacle

Originally posted by Desolate Cancer

Actually the african guy did the same thing.... this invention is thousands of years old.... But then again who cares whos idea it is so long as its put to use.... The only thing that si disgusting is when people try to deny they took inspiration from anothers idea

So what? It's a bloody RIPOFF! They announced it to the world as THEIR invention!

And this is better than the pot in pot idea, how? Let me pull a drilled metal cylinder while I'm in the middle of Africa out of a mule's ass! What a stupid idea that they thought it would help Africans in the middle of nowhere.

So the idea is thoousands of year's old. AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO PATENT IT? WTF?

OK let see another dumb bimbo try to patent the WHEEL.

I don't think you understand. Many investors are dumping money into these projects because that's the new BOOM.

It doesn't matter who came up with it. What matters is that this enterprising young lady will more than likely make a mint off of these SELLING them to people in Africa, probably via Micro-Loans.

All of us American Entrepreneurs are following this same example as we scramble to find small inexpensive items we can sell to the third world.

Solar powered refrigerators aren't new. They've been around since the 1920's...

This must be some type of green-earth propaganda. Probably has something to do with fake global warming. It's funny to see how all the people on ATS clutch to the story like hookers on peanut butter.

Originally posted by logician magician
Solar powered refrigerators aren't new. They've been around since the 1920's...

This must be some type of green-earth propaganda. Probably has something to do with fake global warming. It's funny to see how all the people on ATS clutch to the story like hookers on peanut butter.

everything is "propaganda" if you look at it that way. it doesn't make the energy saving devices less useful. i would assume that any "unconventional" device is useful if it can help in an emergency when power is cut off or simply when you want to save on your bills.

Originally posted by Suckatash
I'm working on other things but if you want a heads up on steam power ideas try this thinking hat on for size dude. Using used car/truck radiators painted black and put up on the roof that create the steam you need to power more than a PC and gives you hot water. Need to store the energy like in a battery? Ever notice how even a small pool will contain most of the heat it collected during the day and it is open air. Look into geothermal "batteries", using the thermodynamic properties of water to make a veritable heat storage/water storage under your house underground, heat it during the day and store it at night so you start heating the water higher the next day (energy needed to start from 25 deg C compared to energy needed to start from 35 deg C).

a steam engine generator even to power your PC is very expensive if it's done safely especially due to the high pressures involved. i remember looking into it and it's not worth the savings. use the solar panels for heating water or underfloor heating - that's the cheapest investment which will save you most money.

pre-heating water is very useful if you have one of those "instant heaters" which are very popular in europe instead of the traditional water heater which keeps water hot all the time. however these heaters and their installation can be very expensive in the US and so will adding the extra pre-heater tank with solar panels (and being up to building codes with all the safety valves, double walls etc). trying to be "handy" and not respecting the codes will be costly in the long run when your system blows up and floods your basement with hot water or you get burned at the faucet or worse...

just a followup of my practical application of this thing. in a simple experiment using the round filter of my humidifier i obtained about 63 F (17C) with a room temp of 78F (26C). humidity was less than 25%.

then i started the humidifier fan and the temp first dropped to 58F (14C) but then stabilized around 60F (16C). paradoxically increasing the fan speed increased the temperature.

I measured it all by sticking the thermometer probe directly into the paper filter of the humidifier.

I'd assume the next step would be to put a water pitcher into the filter so that it's in direct contact and measure the water temp but i don't think I'll bother considering i already know the minimum that can be obtained. i assume a higher environment temperature with even lower humidity would trigger faster evaporation which would lower the temperature some more. of course i'm already sweating so i wont try to increase room temps above 80!!

was fun to play with for the weekend

I commend and applaud her idea.
However, in some third world country's, they don't even have enough water to drink.
Let alone soak some material or even have a bath.