Especially for those living in hotter parts of the country, air conditioners are more than just a luxury--they're a downright necessity. That's why so many people are willing to live with their inflated electricity costs. Thankfully, new advances may soon change all that. If you would like to learn more about revolutionary trends in air conditioning, read on. This article will outline two of the most exciting new technologies at play.

Thermoacoustics

Thermoacoustic technology is concerned with using sound waves to effect temperature changes. Though this may sound like a concept straight out of science fiction, it actually has one key feature in common with traditional air conditioning systems: both deal with the natural relationship between pressure and temperature. The main difference is that a thermoacoustic cooler uses environmentally-friendly helium gas rather than liquid refrigerant.

Here's how a thermoacoustic cooler works, in a nutshell. First a loudspeaker converts electricity into sound waves. This takes place inside of a helium-filled pressure vessel. The sound waves cause the helium to oscillate, thus inducing a compression/expansion cycle. While in its compression phase, the helium absorbs excess heat from the atmosphere. As the gas enters its expansion phase, this heat is released, and the gas is prepared to undergo the same cycle once more.

Up until now, thermoacoustic theory has mostly been applied to freezer technology used in industry. In fact, the process has gained a good deal of renown after being implemented by a pair of famous ice-cream manufacturers. Due to this increased attention, thermoacoustics are now being investigated as a means of residential cooling, where their long life-span, high efficiency, and lack of emissions present a viable and competitive option.

DEVAP

Don't let it's scary name fool you. Desiccant enhanced evaporative air conditioning--or DEVAP, for short--represents a clever twist on some familiar technologies. You see, traditional air conditioners work to cool hot air through a process of evaporation and condensation. One drawback of this process is that it generates a large amount of humidity, which must then be lowered by means of energy consuming fans and compressors.

DEVAP offers a much less taxing means of eliminating humidity. It does this through the conjunction of two different elements. First is a liquid desiccant used to remove the excess moisture generated by cooling air. This desiccant technology is coupled with an evaporation technology that condenses air using water instead of traditional refrigerants.

Where energy consumption is concerned, DEVAP represents a potential energy reduction of up to 80% overall. Not only that, but it eliminates the need for environmentally unfriendly coolants. As the technology continues to be streamlined, it will likely first appear in larger commercial complexes, where the financial rewards are greatest, before moving on residential applications. These technologies are bound to mak ea big difference in the future, but there are other technologies that can already be used in your home. If you want more information about innovations that can already be implemented to help you save on cooling costs, contact a local HVAC company like Shideler Electric, Heating & Cooling.