Beehive – Biomimetic Cooler and Air Purifier

Ant studio created inexpensive outdoor functional-art alternative to energy intensive cooling and air purification solutions.

Long description

Ant Studio’s vision is to amalgamate Art, Nature, and Technology. Our air cooling & purifying solution looks magnificent as an art installation.  Use of vernacular material reduces on embodied energy, use of passive energy strategies reduces environmental impact, use of craft gives it a distinct character and encourages local employment by incorporating traditional craft and skills. Beehive works on active-direct evaporative cooling. Traditionally earthen pots are used for cooling water. Water inside the pots gets naturally cooled due to evaporative cooling. We have innovated a system that uses the same principle but in a reverse order. We let the air pass through the earthen pots soaked in water. Calibrating the traditional method with modern computational tools, CFD analysis and material research we are able to reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint of cooling drastically. The flexibility in design allows varying the scale of the installation on a large spectrum ranging from a open public spaces to semi-open indoor spaces like railway stations, airports, atriums etc . The modular design enables the installation to be fabricated in parts which can be assembled at the desired place. Biofilm forms naturally on these earthen pots. Growing microalgae on the surface of these cones can help assist air purification in public places.  We believe that functional art is the future. It consumes 40% less energy compared to other systems.

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