Norbert Mϋller, assistant professor in Michigan State University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, and John Barrie, of the Appropriate Technology Collaborative in Ann Arbor, collaborated on the award-winning project – the Boston Innovation Prize - for the design of a low-cost, energy-efficient method of cooling and dehumidifying residential and small commercial spaces.

“The technology used for this air conditioner is radically different,” Mϋller said. “We are using the most natural refrigerant, water”, he added. The air conditioner uses water vapor as the refrigerant. When water vapor is used this way it is referred to as R-718. Water vapor can be more efficient than traditional refrigerants, but engineering the compressor is difficult and expensive.

Mϋller invented a way to make an economical compressor that is small and lightweight by designing a novel turbo compressor woven out of high-strength fibers with an integrated motor. Barrie is an architect and industrial designer. He and Mϋller have teamed up for other grant proposals. “I work to develop and promote innovative sustainable technologies,” said Barrie. “My contribution to this project is as a consultant on how air conditioning functions in the real world.”

To refer is that The Innovation Prize was developed by the Barr Foundation, a private family foundation committed to enhancing the quality of life for citizens in the Boston area, and the Cambridge Energy Alliance (CES), an organization that seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the next five years.

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