City engineer invents 250 watts AC

PANCHKULA, MAY 30: A 59-year-old Panchkula-based Engineer, J. N. Sindhwani claims to have invented a non-conventional air conditioner exp...

PANCHKULA, MAY 30: A 59-year-old Panchkula-based Engineer, J. N. Sindhwani claims to have invented a non-conventional air conditioner expected to consume much less power and can be had at half the price of a conventional AC. Known as Desert Air Conditioner, the invention will allow even the middle class to afford a cooling system that is as good as an air conditioner.

Sindhwani who is a retired Engineer-in-Chief of the Haryana State Electricity Board and former Chief Electrical Inspector to the Government of Haryana, had passed out from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, in 1962. He explains that in this system the hot air from the room is filtered and then is made to pass through two heat exchangers. One heat exchanger is dipped in water and the other operates with the help of siphon action. Both the heat exchangers are dependent on the cold water obtained through the process of vapourisation. The hot air of the room, which passes through the two heat exchangers, is cooled and is brought back in the room.

This is a continuous operation and consequently the atmosphere inside of the room is cooled. The heat of the room is dissipated in the process of water vaporisation and is not released in the atmosphere as in the case of a conventional AC. The most distinguishing feature of the invention is its electric load requirement that is of the order of 250 watts against 2,500 watt load requirement of conventional AC.

Talking to Chandigarh Newsline, Sindhwani said that since the desert cooler came into being in the 708217;s not much improvement has been made in its technology. He added that the idea for this Desi AC, as he calls it, was in his head for the last 10 years but he gave it a practical shape last month.

According to Sindhwani, this is an eco-friendly product as it does not release hot air outside, which a conventional AC does.

The Engineer is still in search of a manufacturer but has decided on its brand name 8211; Sindhwani Desert AC. He has filed an application with the Controller of Patent and a separate application has also been filed with the Design Controller for patent of design. As per the new Patent Act, which came into force in April 1999 under WTO guidelines, once the inventor files an application with patent office, he gets 5 years of exclusive marketing rights.