International. A new air conditioning system is being developed by engineers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), who are developing a technology that uses up to 90% less energy, because it is not based on refrigerants, like current systems, but proposes cooling through the use of membranes that allow evaporative cooling with the use of desiccant liquids.
This completely innovative technique has been called DEVap for its acronym in English "Desiccant-Enhaced eVaporative air conditioner". It uses a desiccant as a solution of lithium chloride or calcium, both of which contain about 44% by volume of salt. The system features a membrane that separates it from the rest of the air and allows water vapor to pass through its tiny pores, then the desiccant dries out the moisture and leaves the air warm and dry. The water is then evaporated in a separate channel to cool the air stream.
The results it yields are not only very effective but the reduction of energy expenditure could mean an important evolution in the HVAC / R sector. In addition to the use of a smaller amount of energy, the system does not return carbon dioxide to the planet because it works naturally.
