enough clay and good design

• TerraMound is a cooling system that utilizes the hygroscopic properties of clay.

• 3D printing creates optimal geometric surfaces to maximize this effect.

When looking for an alternative to air conditioning, we have many options. From French inventions that don’t require gas to German inventions that rely on “muscle.” Now we bring you a new alternative. It’s TerraMound, and it goes one step further in terms of cooling: it doesn’t require electricity.

Evaporative cooling. The cooling system is based on a method that has long been used in Egypt, such as adiabatic cooling. In this case, the TerraMound system uses a special design that allows for the acceleration of the evaporation of water to cool the air in the room without the need for a power source.

Construction on clay. The project was developed at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London (UCL). In particular, Rameshwari Jonnalagedda, a researcher who created a cooling system based on natural formations such as termite mounds. It is based on clay and ceramics, 3D printed with a specific design.

3D printing to create perfect surfaces. The project utilized a Delta WASP 40100 Clay, a 3D printer that allows for the creation of complex structures with very precisely tailored surfaces. The project features many geometric shapes, all designed to maximize airflow.

water basedWe have a form of porous ceramic structure where water is poured into the pan from above and these droplets eventually cause evaporative cooling.

Thanks to clay (though not entirely). The system works because clay can absorb moisture from its surroundings. This is called the hygroscopic ability of this material. What the TerraMound system does is maximize the air flow through its molds so that the ability to absorb moisture from the clay is as high as possible.

The system requires minimal power to operate, at least in this very small stage where there will be little air flow. The TerraMound prototype uses a small battery-powered fan to provide enough air flow to create a cooling effect.

The idea applies to many places. Cooling by design and ceramics has huge potential for applications in everything from walls to filtration systems. The prototype uses a small fan at the base, but if you make it bigger, the ambient air could be enough.

What we ended up with was a passive cooling system using porous cells. A structure that, due to its shape, is able to “breathe” water and reduce the ambient temperature. An alternative to the traditional cooling system that has been used for thousands of years and is now being improved by technology.

Images | Terramund

In Hatake | Air conditioning wasn’t invented to cool us down. It was born because of a magazine and its bad impression.