Solar Cooling
Solar Cooling: What Is It Anyway? by Andrew Preston
The words 'solar cooling' sure sound like a contradiction, but it's nonetheless true that the same solar energy that provides heat in winter can also give a lot of cooling in the summer months.
There have been quite a number of passive cooling systems developed and tested in recent times. They function quite simply--there is a coolant that absorbs heat and then dispels it outside. Even a water tank or water-contained trough on the roof can act as a coolant, absorbing heat from the house and then dissipating it while it automatically evaporates under the sun.
Apart from these simple methods, there are also some passive solar cooling systems which are more sophisticated and a bit more complex. They have a solar collector which remains shaded through the day. And the storage medium in it gathers all the heat during daytime to release it later after sundown. At night, the shade of the solar collector is removed to bring it in direct contact with the cool night air and thus enabling it to dispel the collected heat.
For shading the solar collector, a retractile sunblind can be put up or an extended shade can be hung over. As this arrangement isn't permanent and will change to just the opposite in the winter season, it is imperative that you keep the shade in a way that will help you to expose the collector easily to the sun as and when required.
For operating the conventional air conditioners, solar panels can be one fine option. As you perhaps already know, days when the heat remains the highest, are the best times for producing electricity by means of photovoltaic cells. So if you use solar panels to yield enough electricity, you can use your air conditioner totally free of cost.
Yet another highly potential option is solar cooling which does not depend on technology. History holds it that the Romans had a fine system of using running water to cool the walls of their houses. As you can guess, the water evaporates under the sun, thereby dissipating heat and soothing the inner temperatures. This same arrangement can be put up at your house--on the walls and even on rooftops.
To the majority of households, cooling and heating are two primary concerns in their yearly expenses. Hence the usage of solar energy to both heat and cool the house can really help your budget breathe and can be ecological too. It is always a positive move to stop using fossil fuels for heating and cooling, because these are deterrent to a clean and healthy environment.
The words 'solar cooling' sure sound like a contradiction, but it's nonetheless true that the same solar energy that provides heat in winter can also give a lot of cooling in the summer months.
There have been quite a number of passive cooling systems developed and tested in recent times. They function quite simply--there is a coolant that absorbs heat and then dispels it outside. Even a water tank or water-contained trough on the roof can act as a coolant, absorbing heat from the house and then dissipating it while it automatically evaporates under the sun.
Apart from these simple methods, there are also some passive solar cooling systems which are more sophisticated and a bit more complex. They have a solar collector which remains shaded through the day. And the storage medium in it gathers all the heat during daytime to release it later after sundown. At night, the shade of the solar collector is removed to bring it in direct contact with the cool night air and thus enabling it to dispel the collected heat.
For shading the solar collector, a retractile sunblind can be put up or an extended shade can be hung over. As this arrangement isn't permanent and will change to just the opposite in the winter season, it is imperative that you keep the shade in a way that will help you to expose the collector easily to the sun as and when required.
For operating the conventional air conditioners, solar panels can be one fine option. As you perhaps already know, days when the heat remains the highest, are the best times for producing electricity by means of photovoltaic cells. So if you use solar panels to yield enough electricity, you can use your air conditioner totally free of cost.
Yet another highly potential option is solar cooling which does not depend on technology. History holds it that the Romans had a fine system of using running water to cool the walls of their houses. As you can guess, the water evaporates under the sun, thereby dissipating heat and soothing the inner temperatures. This same arrangement can be put up at your house--on the walls and even on rooftops.
To the majority of households, cooling and heating are two primary concerns in their yearly expenses. Hence the usage of solar energy to both heat and cool the house can really help your budget breathe and can be ecological too. It is always a positive move to stop using fossil fuels for heating and cooling, because these are deterrent to a clean and healthy environment.
posted by Dr. R.J. Reynolds at 12:18 PM
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