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World's first liquid-nitrogen outdoor cooling system set for trials

World's first liquid-nitrogen outdoor cooling system set for trials
The Kensho system blows nitrogen gas out at -10 °C, quickly cooling the surrounding area without needing power
The Kensho system blows nitrogen gas out at -10 °C, quickly cooling the surrounding area without needing power
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The Kensho system blows nitrogen gas out at -10 °C, quickly cooling the surrounding area without needing power
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The Kensho system blows nitrogen gas out at -10 °C, quickly cooling the surrounding area without needing power
Prettier, quieter, cleaner and more mobile than outdoor air conditioners – and these machines don't blow heat out the other end
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Prettier, quieter, cleaner and more mobile than outdoor air conditioners – and these machines don't blow heat out the other end
Green Kinoko will soon begin outdoor trials at major cafes in Tel Aviv, to prove the system and gather performance data
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Green Kinoko will soon begin outdoor trials at major cafes in Tel Aviv, to prove the system and gather performance data
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Israeli company Green Kinoko is preparing for the first public tests of a remarkable clean outdoor cooling system. The Kinsho system operates like the inverse of an outdoor cafe heater, cooling several tables per unit without using any electricity.

The secret: liquid nitrogen. Standard tanks holding this frigid liquid at -196 °C (-321 °F) are loaded into the coolers, and when they're switched on, the liquid is slowly released. It expands rapidly to nearly 700 times its liquid volume as it becomes a gas, and the coolers harness the energy in this expansion through a mechanical engine, using it to blow nitrogen gas out at a much more palatable -10 °C (14 °F).

That's cold enough to chill a few outdoor tables quickly and quietly, without asphyxiation
turning anyone into a T1000-style shattering ice statue. It's much more environmentally friendly than an air conditioner – at least, where it's used – since it uses no mains power and doesn't blow hot air out somewhere else. And nitrogen makes up about 78% of the ambient air, so it's not toxic and should be safe in an outdoor environment.

Green Kinoko (an oddly Japanese name for a decidedly un-Japanese company) pitches the idea as an affordable, clean, quiet, effective, mobile, untethered and aesthetically pleasing alternative to AC units that works on a similar model to an outdoor heater. The liquid nitrogen tanks will need replacing every 7-10 days, depending on how hot it is outside and how hard you're running them.

Green Kinoko will soon begin outdoor trials at major cafes in Tel Aviv, to prove the system and gather performance data
Green Kinoko will soon begin outdoor trials at major cafes in Tel Aviv, to prove the system and gather performance data

"Usually, the cost of the nitrogen is about €50-60 (US$50-60) per tank," Green Kinoko's Moran Goldberg tells New Atlas. "Today, it's mostly produced as a byproduct when hospitals and medical services make pure oxygen. Of course, there's a logistics part of the equation we have to take into account in each country as well, but it's not going to cost more than the existing solutions. As far as a restaurant or venue is concerned, the cost of owning and running an outdoor heater is what we're benchmarking."

The company will have more data on nitrogen consumption, overall effectiveness and the experience of sitting near one of these machines within a few weeks, says Goldberg. "We're going to run a pilot in the first or second week of September," she tells us, "in one of the biggest cafés in Tel Aviv, and we'll be sharing some of the results and information about the trial."

The Kinsho system has been under development for two and a half years, and at this stage the company has built 12 prototype units for use in the pilot trials. With enquiries already pouring in from at least 40 different countries, Green Kinoko is preparing to gear up for serious volume production. "I can't say which quarter," says Goldberg, "but I assume by mid-to-late 2023, we'll have it ready for the mass market. At this stage, we're looking for an investment to start production."

Prettier, quieter, cleaner and more mobile than outdoor air conditioners – and these machines don't blow heat out the other end
Prettier, quieter, cleaner and more mobile than outdoor air conditioners – and these machines don't blow heat out the other end

The last eight years have been the eight hottest years since modern record-keeping began in 1880, according to NASA, and temperatures are rising steadily decade to decade, along with extreme weather events like the blazing heatwaves that have scorched Europe, Asia and the United States. Existential uncertainty aside, outdoor cooling is going to become a bigger and bigger necessity over time, and relatively benign solutions like this could become very valuable.

That's assuming they scale well, and there are sufficient liquid nitrogen supplies available for mass adoption in a given region. And before we declare this a green cooling system, the nitrogen would have to be distilled using green electricity. What's more, there are definite safety and materials handling concerns here; liquid nitrogen can cause extreme cold burns, explosions and even asphyxiation if improperly handled, so these units will need to be treated with care.

Check out a short video below.

Kenshō by Green Kinoko

Source: Green Kinoko via No Camels

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12 comments
12 comments
guzmanchinky
I mean it sounds awesome, but creating this liquid nitrogen is incredibly energy intensive, I would think, and even if it uses green energy, that energy should be put to better use, no?
CarolynFarstrider
Failing that, you could sit in the shade, and not consume unnecessary energy of any sort in manufacturing this kit.
martinwinlow
@ guzmanchinky - The article suggests the N is available as a byproduct of making O2. I dare say it’s not as simple as that but it does sound potentially considerably more efficient than normal a/c. There is the distribution side to consider, however.
Capt_Ahab84
The article states that it doesn't produce hot air but wouldn't the factory that creates the liquid nitrogen require energy and generate heat when the nitrogen is being extracted and compressed?
Robert
Running AC outdoors is pretty stupid idea. If it is too hot for shade and fan to work, than just sit inside. Running AC outside is now banned in Paris. This law should be expanded.
NAAP51STANG
Ok, that's about the DUMBEST thing I've seen in a while. How long until morons try inhaling the gas, even if it is "released slowly".
Not to mention the amount of energy required to make it.
Hello? You are OUTDOORS! Deal wtih the climate, or stay INDOORS.
Malcolm Jacks
Fantastic, I,ll have one of those. 1, the Nitrogen can be created using sola power. I would be prepared to invest in this project as an individual. Live in UK. What about having refrigerators using this technique, at present they produce as much heat out side of the refrigerators as they save inside.
Brian Aksil
so it's $50-60 per week, which at LN2 prices ($5/L) means a 10-12L tanks per week, estimating a generous 12 weeks per year, means it's the same cost as buying a fairly high end portable AC every year with no reclaiming system. Not forgetting excess nitrogen in certain areas has lead to acid rain and polluting coastal waters with algae blooms choking off other plant life. Can't think of a reason this would be more effective than a closed loop heat pump or even a basic swamp cooler (considering this is just a fancy version of that without the ability to re-cool the medium)
Adrian Akau
A fan used outdoors might be more practical. It may work fine but is a silly invention.
Rkison
Brian Aksil: Swamp coolers don't work once relative humidity is > 40%-45%. A heat pump would require an underground trench for the cooling coils, hence they are not portable.
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