Footnotes
(Note 1) Located in the northwestern part of Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, where Oya Stone is produced.
(Note 2) Cooling performance: 32°C air temperature → 22°C + dehumidification
Operating conditions for the Natural Condenser SP-6000: dehumidification and cooling at 25 L/min with 15°C well water, air volume of 5,500㎥/h
Development of a Highly Efficient Cooling Dehumidifier: Natural Condenser SP-6000
KRAFTWERK K.K.
Industry: Manufacturing, construction
| Publication date | January 11, 2022 (Posted on November 9, 2022) |
|---|---|
| Sector | Human Health, Life of Citizenry and Urban Life |
Company Overview
KRAFTWERK K.K. is a company engaged in the design and installation of unused thermal energy and utilization systems using geothermal heat, water heat, and waste heat. We operate as a heat utilization system integrator, providing comprehensive consultation, proposal, design, and installation of complex systems and various heat utilization systems for customers.
Climate Change Impacts
The recent rise in temperature due to climate change has had a serious impact on factories without air-conditioning facilities, causing concerns about heat stroke such as indoor temperatures reaching up to 40°C (104°F).
Adaptation Initiatives
We have developed Natural Condenser SP-6000, a highly efficient dehumidifying cooling system that uses water as its heat source (Figure 1). This product was designed based on a demonstration test using underground water storage in the Oya area (Note 1), and can be used in factories, farms, and other places where water can be supplied, for any size and purpose. Since it is also easy to move it with its casters, it can be used in various places and scenes, such as event venues and during disasters.
The product cools antifreeze with cold water in the heat exchanger, and the cooled antifreeze converts the warm air drawn in from the fan into cold dehumidifying air in the radiator (Figure 2). A comparison of power consumption shows that the Natural Condenser SP-6000 can reduce power consumption by 92.6% to 0.6 kW, compared with 7.5 kW of a conventional air conditioner (Note 2). In addition, various water sources can be used as the heat source including well water (underground water), tap water, hot spring water, and factory wastewater (Figure 3).
Effects / Expected Benefits
From August 10 to 18, 2019, the Oya area installed this product at electric vehicle charging stations during the Bon Festival period, when tourism is at its peak (Figure 4). Even though the outside temperature was 35℃, the underground reservoir water was very cold at about 20℃, and the tourists were able to enjoy the cold breeze generated from the radiator fan. It is expected that the use of this product will help prevent heat stroke.
