This unique home cooling solution by IIT team 'Takniquee' is proving to be more effective than your ACs

As much as ACs are a bliss to escape the sweltering heat, its not an unknown fact that it can have damaging effects on the environment. In light of this, two students from IIT Kharagpur have an alternative that can replace air conditioners.

Meet Team “Takniquee”. Sahashranshu Maurya and Somrup Chakraborty from the department of geology and geophysics have developed a cooling system called passive solar water wall which revolves around a rectangular water tank fitted into a wall.

Their proposal for the cooling system is India’s entry among the five finalists of Shell Ideas360 Audience Choice Awards.

“This ties with future city concept. The water tank is different from conventional tanks as it has a very high surface area so maximum air can interact with the tank walls and get cooled. It could be an alternative to air conditioners in the future,” Sahashranshu said.

The water is heated and passively circulated keeping the inner wall relatively cool, reducing the air temperature and the need for air cooling systems. According to Sahashranshu, ACs contribute to about 35 per cent of total household electricity consumption and produces 1.5 tonnes of carbon every year.

The benefits of colling system would include no CFC and carbon emission, minimal electricity usage and a whopping 50 per cent reduction in cooling cost.

"For a basic set up, an initial investment would be about a lakh of rupees. The design would evolve depending on the architecture," he said. According to the founders, water is key to addressing the issues raised by the usage of conventional air conditioners.

“Water has a high heat capacity, so it can resist any major temperature change by absorbing heat. If we install our water tanks in the walls of the buildings, we can make it resistant to major temperature changes. Also, the heat absorbed will be continuously removed from the system by daily household use of water,” they added.

With the use of air-conditioners on the rise, amidst concerns of global warming, initiatives such as these can pave the way for sustainable technological innovation.