Why not mini swamp coolers in cars ?

[Movin]

Love em Hate em why not a water powered cooler for our cars ?

[harpon]

I've given this great thought as well. A simple solution might simply be an "ice cached" based A/C system, with a fan that blows through it. Maybe not the best solution on very long travel, but you can certainly dump some ice into a compartment and then refill it the next day and save all expensive A/C repair and NOT be lowering the MPGs more than the bin of ice weight would. Plus it loses weight as it melts.

[Advancedynamix]

I was just thinking this today! haha. First real 100 degree weekend here in Phoenix and the dry heat lends itself well to swamp cooling. Back in the 50s and 60's it was common to see the turbine style window swamp coolers hanging from the windows of cars, but now I just see them at classic car shows and on the occasional VW beetle. You'd have to imagine there could be a more efficient version using todays composite materials.

[Safety Guy]

Got any pictures of those old "turbines" Charlie?

Karl

[Pineapplegti]

http://m.ebay.com/itm/251937222122

[Bert]

When we went on camping and road trips in the 1950s my dad always hung a store-bought 1/2 gallon canvas bag contraption full of water on the front of the car. Canvas naturally 'sweats' and the physics of water evaporation uses heat. I was impressed that we had very cold water on hand, irregardless of outside temperatures. The canvas was always damp but did not leak so there never was much water lost. Makes me wonder if such a simple concept on a larger scale (5 gallon evaporator) hooked up to a small electric pump and through the heater hoses and blower would have noticeable effect on cabin temperature. Such a thing would have negligible effect in a stationary car but ought to make a difference at highway speeds.

[Advancedynamix]

http://m.ebay.com/itm/251937222122

Yup, that's what they look like. Some are a little fancier, but same principle. They don't have a turbine in them or anything, they don't even have a fan, that's just what people call them because it looks like a little jet engine hanging out the window. Especially if you see a beetle with one hanging out each window, color matched to the car. Haha

[jawja jim]

If you scroll down and read the description, this is just to look like a swamp cooler but isn't functional other than as a wind scoop. Reminds me of a Mad Magazine satirical ad from 50+ years ago that was for a fake window AC to fool your friends and neighbors and the deluxe model had a sponge inside to drip water on the sidewalk.

[Movin]

Bert, you must be talking about the old army saddle horse white canvas bags that slowly evaporated in the wind and cooled the drinking water inside, usually about 2 gallons.

I was thinking of the same idea to cool air like a swamp cooler for a car. I have not seen one of these jet engine looking things, where is the water, how do they work ?

[navdoc101]

When we went on camping and road trips in the 1950s my dad always hung a store-bought 1/2 gallon canvas bag contraption full of water on the front of the car. Canvas naturally 'sweats' and the physics of water evaporation uses heat. I was impressed that we had very cold water on hand, irregardless of outside temperatures. The canvas was always damp but did not leak so there never was much water lost. Makes me wonder if such a simple concept on a larger scale (5 gallon evaporator) hooked up to a small electric pump and through the heater hoses and blower would have noticeable effect on cabin temperature. Such a thing would have negligible effect in a stationary car but ought to make a difference at highway speeds.

We had those when we were in the desert, hung them on the outside of our AMTRAC. Nice cold water. I bought my own.

[Dragonhealer]

I was just thinking this today! haha. First real 100 degree weekend here in Phoenix and the dry heat lends itself well to swamp cooling. Back in the 50s and 60's it was common to see the turbine style window swamp coolers hanging from the windows of cars, but now I just see them at classic car shows and on the occasional VW beetle. You'd have to imagine there could be a more efficient version using todays composite materials.

Too true, you beat me to it!
I'm envisioning a unit (or two) to replace the rear vent window(s)!

[cliferton]

I've thought about putting something based on this style in and have it set up so I can pull it out when needed

http://www.colemancollectorsforum.com/post/diy-redneck-air-conditioner-5431337

[Advancedynamix]

If you scroll down and read the description, this is just to look like a swamp cooler but isn't functional other than as a wind scoop. Reminds me of a Mad Magazine satirical ad from 50+ years ago that was for a fake window AC to fool your friends and neighbors and the deluxe model had a sponge inside to drip water on the sidewalk.

I have seen fully functional window swamps around here though. Some of them are actually pretty fancy. The real ones will often have support rods that go down to the door.

[Bert]

Bert, you must be talking about the old army saddle horse white canvas bags that slowly evaporated in the wind and cooled the drinking water inside, usually about 2 gallons.

I was thinking of the same idea to cool air like a swamp cooler for a car. I have not seen one of these jet engine looking things, where is the water, how do they work ?

Was a canvas sack much like a rice sack and with a hanging strap, a filler cap at the top and a pour spigot at the bottom. Dad hung it on the grill and from the hood latch. Sublimation of liquid water to vapour requires energy (ie absorbs heat from the bagged water) and is about as simple a use of physics as it gets. Had I not routinely drank cold (but canvas-y-tasting) water on hot days through this I'd never have believed it possible.

[Movin]

Any version of this would work so much better than those solar powered fan things it isn't even a contest. Definately not as good as AC. BUT electric cars and high gas mpg cars could really do well with this. Especially if someone knew how to insulate the car a bit. A 90 degree day..outlet temp is 90. An AC car, outlet temp is 40 F but a wind powered energy recovered from the heat necessary to evaporate water will give 60 F outlet temp. In addition your sinuses out in the desert remain healthy unlike the other two options. If electric cars start selling like I think they will..