Free Republic

Researchers work to shrink technology that harnesses sun's energy to both heat and coolEvery day, the sun bathes the planet in energy--free of charge--yet few systems can take advantage of that source for both heating and cooling. Now, researchers are making progress on a thin-film technology that adheres both solar cells and heat pumps onto surfaces, ultimately turning walls, windows, and maybe even soda bottles into climate control systems. On July 12, 2006, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) researcher Steven Van Dessel and his colleagues will announce their most recent progress--including a computer model to help them simulate the climate within...

A company called Tempra Technology has developed a special beer can with a twistable base that cools a beer can down to 30° Fahrenheit in a mere 3 minutes with the help of an evaporator, a vacuum, and a heat sink. They claim the entire system is nontoxic and won't affect the beer itself other than cooling it off. Although the cans are about the same physical size as 16-ounce cans, they actually hold only 10.5 ounces of beer. It's doubtful if these fridge cans would be able to do anything about "skunked" beer (beer shipped cold that's allowed to...