Aero - Evaporative Cooler
Timeline: 5 Weeks - Junior Studio - Fall 2020
The Team: Bradley Turner, Rachel Wolniak, Clare Suess
Prompt: Reduce the energy consumed by air conditioning while maintaining some form of cooling.
How can we reduce the energy consumption of Air Conditioners while maintaining comfort?
¾ of all US Homes
¾ of all homes in the United States have air conditioners.
6% of all electricity
Air conditioners use about 6% of all electricity produced in the US.
$29 Billon
Air conditioners have an annual cost of about 29 billon dollars to homeowners.
$117 Million Metric Tons
Air conditioners produce approximately 117 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year.
Evaporative Cooling
Evaporative Coolers cool the air through the evaporation of water, using about 75% less energy than traditional air conditioning units.
These Coolers work best in dry climates - they rely off of water’s ability to absorb a large amount of heat when it evaporates (has a large enthalpy of evaporation).
Our team focused on a target market of Zone A and Zone B, as these represent the most arid areas of the US.
Current Market
Current evaporative coolers are ugly, complicated, and obtrusive in the home.
My team focused on creating a better evaporative cooler, by simplifying the user experience and improving the aesthetic attributes.
Moodboard
Pursued Direction
Three concepts were furthered in sketch ideation, and the group decided to pursue the center concept.
Study Models
Final Design
Intuitive Water Addition
The hydrophobically - coated, waterproof veneer lid funnels water into the reservoir, and indicates water level.
