As energy costs continue to rise, more and more homeowners are looking for ways to keep their cooling costs down. If you would like to learn about some new technologies that may soon be able to revolutionize the process--and the cost--of air conditioning, read on. This article will discuss two exciting advances.
Smart Metal
Smart metal is the preferred marketing term for a class of metals known more officially as shape memory alloys. Such metals contain an incredible--and almost unbelievable ability to remember their original shape. In other words, when bent or deformed, they can be made to go back to beginning shape simply through the absorption of heat.
This ability means that smart metals are currently being considered as the basis for a new type of air conditioner. The idea here is that smart metal inside of the air conditioner would be mechanically deformed. Then, by absorbing heat from the air of your home, it would return to its original shape. This process could then be repeated over and over in order to achieve a given cooling task.
In a traditional air conditioning system, this sort of cycle takes place. The difference is that the principal agent is a refrigerant, which passes back and forth from a liquid to a gaseous state. Enabling this transformation requires a large amount of energy. A smart metal air conditioner, on the other hand, has been estimated to increase efficiency by as much as 175 percent, thus drastically reducing the amount of energy consumed.
Thermoacoustic Technology
The basic idea behind thermoacoustic technology is that sound waves are utilized to accomplish temperature changes. This may sound like something straight out of science fiction, yet it's 100% real. In fact, thermoacoustics work by exploiting the same basic relationship--that between pressure and temperature--as traditional air conditioning systems. The difference here is that the energy intensive refrigerant is omitted in favor of helium gas.
This helium gas is responsible for absorbing heat from air being circulated through the system from your home. In order to do this, however, the gas must be in an especially compressed state. This compression is achieved by means of sound waves. These waves cause the gas, which is held inside of a special pressurized vessel, to begin going through a natural cycle of expansion and compression.
For more information on HVAC contractors in your area, check out a company like John Legg's Heating & Air Conditioning.
Share9 May 2017
Working with HVAC contractors is an important part of being a homeowner. Not only do your contractors ensure that a new system you buy is properly installed, but they also ensure optimal performance throughout the years through a series of regular inspections, maintenance services, and repairs. But there are lots of things you can do in between your contractor's visits to ensure that your HVAC investment is always in tip top condition, aside from cleaning out the air filters. After working with my dad for more than a decade in the HVAC business, I've put together a few methods homeowners can use to maintain a well working system, and I have published those tips and tricks right here on this blog. I hope some of the information you find here helps you on your journey as a homeowner!
