The clever M-cycle system uses consecutive stages of indirect evaporative cooling along with a heat ...

1. Coolerado's super-efficient air conditioning expanded to
include small residences - National Breakthrough Energy
The clever M-cycle system uses consecutive stages of indirect evaporative cooling along with a heat
exchanger so that the humid air does not enter the building but is effectively cooled while using as
little as 10% as much energy as the traditional air conditioner.
This last Monday I interviewed Mike Luby, CEO of Coolerado, makers of a line of air conditioners
that they say are the most efficient available - able to cut AC energy usage by as much as 90%. The
Coolerado system uses a form of indirect evaporative cooling that relies on the Maisotsenko Cycle in
which outside air is cooled by evaporation and heat exchange through a series of plastic plates.Â
In contrast to a swamp cooler, the air that comes in contact with the moist portion does not enter
the building, but cools the adjacent air that does enter the building through 20 consecutive stages of
cooling powered by a simple fan that pushes the air through the heart of the system.
They recently won a challenge by the University of California to boost AC efficiency, beating the U.S.
Department of Energy standard by 60 percent during peak, and 80 percent on average. That unit is
a commercial unit that is expected to be available this fall.
Monday, Coolerado Corporation announced a new central air conditioner sized for homes smaller
than 1,500 square feet. The new system, called the M30, uses under 450 watts of power, less energy
than what most homes without air conditioning use for portable, ceiling or whole house fans.
Coolerado products are Clean and Green Technology - using no CFCs as refrigerants. They also
provide a healthier environment by delivering 100% fresh air, flushing out stale air and pollutants.
Because the air conditioner is based on the principle of evaporation, it is best suited to the Western
states where the humidity is not so high. But remember, the humid portion of air in their system
does not enter the building but is ducted out, so their air conditioners do not add humidity to the
indoor air.
Though their units are a bit more pricey than a standard air conditioner, due to the savings in
electricity, a hot climate such as Arizona, could see a return on investment in three months, while it
might be more like 2-3 years in a cooler climate like Idaho that doesn't need as much air
conditioning.
Generally speaking, nearly half of the electrical demand in the country is for air conditioning.Â
Imagine reducing that by nearly ten-fold.
When I asked Mike about bacteria and the moist surfaces of the unit, he cited the following factors:
The air entering the building does not go across the wet surfaces but only interacts with the
polypropylene, dry surface of the heat exchanger.
A biocide is used in the heat exchanger.

2. In tests on units installed sine 2005, no bacterial contamination has been detected as a result of the
Coolerado air conditioning units.
The easiest retrofit for the Coolerado system is where swamp coolers have been used. In that case,
it is merely a swap out scenario. A typical air conditioner retrofit is more challenging, depending
on where the HVAC is located. A typical AC uses the fan in the heater system to circulate the air
through the building, whereas the Coolerado unit has a separate fan on the front end, so the
Coolerado ducting would need to be attached after the fan section on the building's duct work. The
attic retrofit installation is usually the most difficult.
The company is presently focused on commercial applications, but with the introduction Monday of
their M30 residential unit, they are now entering that market as well. Their product has been
installed throughout the U.S., including in 32 federal and state buildings. They also have
distributors in Australia, India, Europe and elsewhere.
The amount of water used by the Coolerado is approximately two gallons per ton-hour of cooling.Â
When you take into consideration the water that is used in a coal power plant for the steam, or the
water that evaporates in a hydroelectric dam, and consider the reduced electrical demand of the
Coolerado system, it turns out that the amount of water used by the Coolerado is about the same as
the water conserved by not requiring so much electricity.
The technology was invented by Dr. Valeriy Maisotsenko, formerly of the Soviet Union, who defected
to the U.S. in 1990. Coolerado secured patents and wrapped some engineering around his
concepts. Ironically, it was Dr. Maisotsenko who came up with the "Coolerado" name of the
Colorado-based company.
Here's an introductory video:
One of the things that I thought was pretty cool was the Coolerado demonstration in which the
humid portion of the air is ducted to the back side of solar panels, cooling them off so they perform
better.
Here's a video of their demonstrator unit for this concept.
They don't push this system for customers, but it is something to keep in mind if you have a solar
array or if you are planning one.
In summary, Mike pointed out that the Coolerado air conditioning technology saves money, is

3. healthy, and is good for the planet.
The privately-funded company does accept investment inquiries.
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Links Mentioned
Mike Luby Interview Audio
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