3D Printed ‘Cool Bricks’ Can Cool an Entire Room Using Water

[Sabre]

3D Print

Using 3D printing technology, Emerging Objects has come up with a solution which may be able to greatly reduce the use of air conditioning systems in these hot dry climates. The device, which is called the “Cool Brick” has the ability to cool off an entire room simply by using the most abundant compound found on Earth — water.

In actuality, the Cool Brick is not a new invention, as it is based on a system that many believe dates back over 3,300 years. However, using 3D printing, Emerging Objects was able to perfect the system, and improve upon earlier designs.

The system, which was designed by Virginia San Fratello and Ronald Rael, works via evaporative cooling, based on the simple concept that water will evaporate if air with a lower dew point passes by. The dew point of the air is the temperature in which water vapor in that air condenses, forming a liquid. When the air temperature drops below the dew point, water droplets will begin leaving the air (i.e. rain). Based on this concept, the Cool Brick emerged.

coolbrick1 Inspired by the Mascatese Evaporative cooling window, which was originally created using a wood screen and a ceramic vessel filled with water, the cool brick takes this idea and creates entire walls which can become interior walls of a home.

Because the air in dessert environments is so hot and dry, and provides for the capability of holding a lot of water vapor, the cool brick could be the perfect solution. Made up with a 3D printed ceramic lattice, it can be filled with water in a similar way a sponge can. Then when hot, dry air passes through, the air absorbs the water through evaporation, and become cooler more moist air.

The bricks can be set into mortar to create walls of virtually any size. When these modular, interlocking bricks are stacked together, they create a large screen as seen in the photos provided. This could be a solution to the high electricity costs of running air conditioning systems in these hot, dry climates, killing two birds with one stone. A decorative looking cool brick wall could be constructed in a home, to cool that home off while also adding much needed moisture to the air.

Very interesting idea!

[zaxrex]

Like it says, very old tech with a new spin. Neat idea, but how the hell are you going to clean that sucker? Existing swamp coolers have replaceable elements that can be thrown out when they get nasty. They better have one killer anti-microbial filament in that 3-D printer.
Plus, you still are going to have to pump and collect the water somehow, not to mention the fan to push the air around. All of the same infrastructure requirements of a traditional swamp cooler that people in the southwest already have.
I wonder what the sound insulating properties of that are. Would hate to use it as a wall between rooms when noise goes through with no problem.

Reminds me of things that come out of the National Labs. Neat tech that answers a question nobody is usually asking.

[Mr Kleen]

"The most abundant compound found on Earth" is not the most abundant compound found in California...

[Sabre]

Agreed, it will need to be refined... like many things, we might see scaled versions of this in 10's of years.