3D Printed Cool Bricks - Could this replace Air Conditioning in Desert Climates?

For centuries there has been a known method of cooling air, using nothing but water. The idea, based on concept of evaporation allow for hot dry air to flow into contact with water, causing that water to evaporate, thus cooling and moisturizing the air. While there have been individuals who have used this method quite sparsley over the past couple thousand years, Emerging Objects has now used 3D printing to advance the method, with the fabrication of their ceramic 3D printed Cool Bricks. These blocks can be put together to form entire walls which can be placed inside of a building. Read and see more on these Cool Bricks at: http://3dprint.com/41447/3d-printed-cool-brick/

http://3dprint.com/wp-content/upload...coolbrick2.jpg

Nice idea but there is a problem as anyone who uses a humidifier can see.
Water usually has lots of dissolved minerals in it.
Evaporate the water and the pores get clogged quickly with rocky residue.
The primitive approach with an unglazed jar allows for the water to be poured out and replaced before the mineral content gets too high.

When we printed these bricks, we thought we were fabricating an art installation. Had no idea of the science behind it until now. They are esthetically beautiful designs, aside from their technical performance.

Technical issues aside, as a cross country motorcyclist I can attest to how well that theory works. A bit of mesh, a squirt of water, and at least 5mph of forward movement and an unbearably hot day turns into a pleasantly cool flow of air. Worked so well actually that I started carrying a sports bottle of water on my tank so I could periodically replenish my "A/C" without having to stop.

I grew up with an evaporative cooler.....my question is - where are you getting the water for this to work in the desert? water is not cheap in a desert if at all.....people in a desert think about using water in a desert for 1st drinking then 2nd crops/cattle - so I can eat 3rd saving it so I can do 1&2. Nice idea but where it works best is where cooling is low on the list of needs.

Perhaps you could use them as a water container / filter / recycler as well. Storing the water in tanks at the base but with a filtration system to recycle the water into a well or something.

This is certainly a project that makes good use of the 3D printing process, since it would be difficult to produce these bricks with all those interior channels any other way. They've got to be pretty expensive to produce, though. And I wonder how long they'd keep working before they started growing moss - or mold.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

I have a question about the water used. many areas have large quantities of calcium and iron content. how will this effect the small cavities present in the structure. how will it work when the air is saturated and evaporation isnt possible?
Grampa

I imagine the pores could clog eventually if the water has lots of minerals dissolved in it. And no evaporative cooling system works in high humidity, since little or no evaporation takes place. But there are plenty of places that are hot and dry.