Evapolar - the first effective mini-conditioner to create an individual comfort zone
Welcome to the pages of the blog iCover ! Today we would like to invite you to discuss the novelty from Russian developers Vladimir Levitin and Evgeny Dubovoy - the Evapolar mini air conditioner, which, according to the authors of the invention, is capable of creating an effective individual comfort zone within a radius of 2-3 meters. The project was announced at IndieGoGo, where it shows impressive growth dynamics.
Russian projects on crowdfunding sites can be found quite rarely. The more attractive is the story of the startup Evapolar, who managed to collect almost S300,000 dollars on the IndieGoGo platform since September 2015. The authors argue that the level of energy efficiency of their mini-conditioner exceeds all existing counterparts that work on the same principle and is not inferior to wall, floor and window climate cooling systems.
The urgency of the lack of local air-conditioning was confirmed by preliminary surveys conducted by the authors. They note that about 30% of users of standard climate systems are not satisfied with the capabilities of equipment purchased by them or installed in offices. In large business centers, multi-zone equipment turns on at the beginning of the working day from 9 am and turns off at 6 pm, when part of the staff is still sitting at work, the opinion of each individual employee is usually interested in the administration moderately. The problem of individual climate comfort is quite acute in domestic life, especially where there are children, weak and sick people.
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On the other hand, the market today is not ready to offer a truly efficient and cost-effective alternative to existing household air conditioning systems for general use. "... On the one hand there are many manufacturers offering full-featured systems that control the climate of the entire room or building, on the other - fans and humidifiers that do not support the cooling function, or cope with the air-conditioning function , but at the most mediocre level." Thus was born the idea of ​​creating a device that would effectively cool the air in a limited volume, performing along the way the functions of a humidifier.
Surveys were able to confirm: a person must create an individual comfort zone for himself. This premise formed the basis for the Evapolar mini air conditioner design concept.
Evapolar owes its appearance to the world to the father of one of the project’s founders, who offered a “nano-paper” in 2000, in which basalt was used instead of regular pulp.
Being 1000 times thinner than cellulose, basalt fiber has a diameter of only 40 nanometers, which allows the material from nanofibers to absorb into the existing voids the weight of the liquid, significantly exceeding its own weight of the fibers. It is from these fibers that Evgeny Dubovaya and Vladimir Levitin created evaporating plates that ensure uniform and intensive moistening of the cooling cartridge and, as a result, energy-efficient air conditioning within an individual comfort zone of 2-3 meters.
The complexity of raising a hardware start-up in Russia is a weighty reason for skeptical investor attitude. According to Vladimir and Eugene ”... For a startup that develops a web service or a mobile application, the“ seed ”round is $ 300-500 thousand, for the“ iron ”one it is at least $ 1 million, while in the West this the stages even get up to $ 3-4 million. ”Attempts to find understanding among Russian venture capitalists invariably faced doubt and distrust, and the creation of a pilot batch with a view to a subsequent sale looked quite risky. The team Levitin and Yevgeny Dubovy saw the exit from the current situation in the crowdfunding platform.
The rather conservative, living by the strict rules of the KickStarter platform - the “elder brother” IndieGoGo, was initially of greater interest to the team, both in the project's philosophy and in organic traffic. Unfortunately, due to the laboriousness of peer review of offers and a large number of fakes, the site has ceased to announce products related to climate technology. Unlike KickStarter, the IndieGoGo platform is much more liberal - here the manufacturer, interested in an additional sales channel, can present at least an original jacket, which does not contain any fundamental innovations. As a result, a detailed analysis of the capabilities of the two platforms led to the choice in favor of IndieGoGo.
As a rule, up to 70% of funds on crowdfunding platforms come from US backers. In the case of Evapolar, the Asian market showed greater interest in the device, where the novelty was perceived not as another interesting gadget, but as an energy-efficient air conditioner capable of solving the problem of creating an individual zone of climate comfort.
The corresponding trend is seen in the statistics of pre-orders. Their total number has now exceeded 1,200 devices for a total of more than $ 170 thousand. Some of them are orders from companies and distributors who want to purchase Evapolar for installation at their employees' workplaces or as corporate gifts. At the same time, the company on the site was launched in September, when the activity of the audience interested in the topic of cooling rushes to its minimum.
Given the demand, already confirmed by real pre-orders, the development team received excellent chances for dialogue with investors, both in Russia and abroad. Negotiating, starting with a $ 500,000 round, Vladimir and Yevgeny are extremely interested in “smart” investments with a focus on manufacturing expertise and the organization of a distribution network.
The weight of the device, capable not only to cool the air, but also to work as a humidifier, is only 1.68 kg. The evaporation rate, which determines the air temperature, is regulated automatically. Efficient distribution of moisture over the entire surface of the cooling cartridge allows for intensive local cooling and humidification with minimal power consumption, 12 times less than those that occur in average wall and floor air conditioners. At the same time, the probability of a cold is high for traditional large-sized cooling systems due to the creation of directed cooled air flows in the case of Evapolar tends to zero.
One of the advantages of the Evapolar mini air conditioner is that there is no need to fill the system with freon or any other highly toxic coolant. Cooled to a comfortable temperature, evaporation is not only not harmful, but beneficial to the hair, skin and respiratory system. According to the authors of the development, the design features and the materials used made it possible to eliminate the effect of the characteristic odor that accompanies the work of the existing “swamp air conditioners” due to bacteria produced during operation.
Installation cost for pre-order delivery is $ 179. Upon the launch of mass production, scheduled for June 2016, the cost of the supplied devices will be estimated at $ 250. Energy consumption level - 10 W / hour. The capacity for storing water is 710 ml, which allows for 6-8 hours of continuous operation.
The current state-of-the-art energy-efficient evaporative coolers — large systems that are used mainly for industrial purposes are quite expensive. Unlike existing systems, Evapolar is a personal source of optimal microclimate, affordable and no less effective than alternative large-sized wall and floor versions using liquid refrigerant.
An example of a new generation industrial air conditioner model. Environmentally friendly process of energy transformation without the use of CO2 and freon, the presence of a compressor. The cost of installation without installation is about $ 16,500
Comparative chart of energy efficiency of standard household and mini air conditioner Evapolar
The compactness and minimum weight of the device allow you to install it on the desktop or on the nightstand next to the bed. At the same time, the level of energy consumption at a 6-8 hour use interval will be only 10 W , providing cooling capacity in the local comfort zone of 500 W.
It’s not accepted to talk about limitations in the device’s capabilities within the framework of the project announcement, therefore there’s nothing in the presentation material about this. Share your thoughts.
Speaking about the advantages of the Evopolar mini air-conditioning system, which works on the classical principle of evaporation, it is necessary to note that the efficiency of the device largely depends on the humidity of the surrounding air. In hot climates and relative humidity up to just over 50%, the system works flawlessly. The efficiency of the installation is reduced in proportion to the increase in air humidity, so even if the temperature outside the window has exceeded 40C, with a relative humidity of 80%, the effect obtained will noticeably decrease. That is why the development of Leonid and Vladimir has brilliant prospects, for example, in the countries of the Middle East, in Mexico and in the south of the USA or in the arid regions of Asia, where the Evopolar can provide high efficiency with a minimum of energy costs. For work, a replaceable cartridge is used for $ 20, which needs to be replaced once a year.
Russian projects on crowdfunding sites can be found quite rarely. The more attractive is the story of the startup Evapolar, who managed to collect almost S300,000 dollars on the IndieGoGo platform since September 2015. The authors argue that the level of energy efficiency of their mini-conditioner exceeds all existing counterparts that work on the same principle and is not inferior to wall, floor and window climate cooling systems.
Why do we need mini-conditioners when there are multifunctional full-fledged systems?
The urgency of the lack of local air-conditioning was confirmed by preliminary surveys conducted by the authors. They note that about 30% of users of standard climate systems are not satisfied with the capabilities of equipment purchased by them or installed in offices. In large business centers, multi-zone equipment turns on at the beginning of the working day from 9 am and turns off at 6 pm, when part of the staff is still sitting at work, the opinion of each individual employee is usually interested in the administration moderately. The problem of individual climate comfort is quite acute in domestic life, especially where there are children, weak and sick people.
')
On the other hand, the market today is not ready to offer a truly efficient and cost-effective alternative to existing household air conditioning systems for general use. "... On the one hand there are many manufacturers offering full-featured systems that control the climate of the entire room or building, on the other - fans and humidifiers that do not support the cooling function, or cope with the air-conditioning function , but at the most mediocre level." Thus was born the idea of ​​creating a device that would effectively cool the air in a limited volume, performing along the way the functions of a humidifier.
Surveys were able to confirm: a person must create an individual comfort zone for himself. This premise formed the basis for the Evapolar mini air conditioner design concept.
From idea to realization
Evapolar owes its appearance to the world to the father of one of the project’s founders, who offered a “nano-paper” in 2000, in which basalt was used instead of regular pulp.
Being 1000 times thinner than cellulose, basalt fiber has a diameter of only 40 nanometers, which allows the material from nanofibers to absorb into the existing voids the weight of the liquid, significantly exceeding its own weight of the fibers. It is from these fibers that Evgeny Dubovaya and Vladimir Levitin created evaporating plates that ensure uniform and intensive moistening of the cooling cartridge and, as a result, energy-efficient air conditioning within an individual comfort zone of 2-3 meters.
Investment or crowdfunding?
The complexity of raising a hardware start-up in Russia is a weighty reason for skeptical investor attitude. According to Vladimir and Eugene ”... For a startup that develops a web service or a mobile application, the“ seed ”round is $ 300-500 thousand, for the“ iron ”one it is at least $ 1 million, while in the West this the stages even get up to $ 3-4 million. ”Attempts to find understanding among Russian venture capitalists invariably faced doubt and distrust, and the creation of a pilot batch with a view to a subsequent sale looked quite risky. The team Levitin and Yevgeny Dubovy saw the exit from the current situation in the crowdfunding platform.
KickStarter or IndieGoGo?
The rather conservative, living by the strict rules of the KickStarter platform - the “elder brother” IndieGoGo, was initially of greater interest to the team, both in the project's philosophy and in organic traffic. Unfortunately, due to the laboriousness of peer review of offers and a large number of fakes, the site has ceased to announce products related to climate technology. Unlike KickStarter, the IndieGoGo platform is much more liberal - here the manufacturer, interested in an additional sales channel, can present at least an original jacket, which does not contain any fundamental innovations. As a result, a detailed analysis of the capabilities of the two platforms led to the choice in favor of IndieGoGo.
As a rule, up to 70% of funds on crowdfunding platforms come from US backers. In the case of Evapolar, the Asian market showed greater interest in the device, where the novelty was perceived not as another interesting gadget, but as an energy-efficient air conditioner capable of solving the problem of creating an individual zone of climate comfort.
The corresponding trend is seen in the statistics of pre-orders. Their total number has now exceeded 1,200 devices for a total of more than $ 170 thousand. Some of them are orders from companies and distributors who want to purchase Evapolar for installation at their employees' workplaces or as corporate gifts. At the same time, the company on the site was launched in September, when the activity of the audience interested in the topic of cooling rushes to its minimum.
Given the demand, already confirmed by real pre-orders, the development team received excellent chances for dialogue with investors, both in Russia and abroad. Negotiating, starting with a $ 500,000 round, Vladimir and Yevgeny are extremely interested in “smart” investments with a focus on manufacturing expertise and the organization of a distribution network.
Evapolar - Pros
The weight of the device, capable not only to cool the air, but also to work as a humidifier, is only 1.68 kg. The evaporation rate, which determines the air temperature, is regulated automatically. Efficient distribution of moisture over the entire surface of the cooling cartridge allows for intensive local cooling and humidification with minimal power consumption, 12 times less than those that occur in average wall and floor air conditioners. At the same time, the probability of a cold is high for traditional large-sized cooling systems due to the creation of directed cooled air flows in the case of Evapolar tends to zero.
Ecology
One of the advantages of the Evapolar mini air conditioner is that there is no need to fill the system with freon or any other highly toxic coolant. Cooled to a comfortable temperature, evaporation is not only not harmful, but beneficial to the hair, skin and respiratory system. According to the authors of the development, the design features and the materials used made it possible to eliminate the effect of the characteristic odor that accompanies the work of the existing “swamp air conditioners” due to bacteria produced during operation.
Cost and energy efficiency
Installation cost for pre-order delivery is $ 179. Upon the launch of mass production, scheduled for June 2016, the cost of the supplied devices will be estimated at $ 250. Energy consumption level - 10 W / hour. The capacity for storing water is 710 ml, which allows for 6-8 hours of continuous operation.
The current state-of-the-art energy-efficient evaporative coolers — large systems that are used mainly for industrial purposes are quite expensive. Unlike existing systems, Evapolar is a personal source of optimal microclimate, affordable and no less effective than alternative large-sized wall and floor versions using liquid refrigerant.
An example of a new generation industrial air conditioner model. Environmentally friendly process of energy transformation without the use of CO2 and freon, the presence of a compressor. The cost of installation without installation is about $ 16,500
Comparative chart of energy efficiency of standard household and mini air conditioner Evapolar
The compactness and minimum weight of the device allow you to install it on the desktop or on the nightstand next to the bed. At the same time, the level of energy consumption at a 6-8 hour use interval will be only 10 W , providing cooling capacity in the local comfort zone of 500 W.
It’s not accepted to talk about limitations in the device’s capabilities within the framework of the project announcement, therefore there’s nothing in the presentation material about this. Share your thoughts.
Restrictions not reported by the authors
Speaking about the advantages of the Evopolar mini air-conditioning system, which works on the classical principle of evaporation, it is necessary to note that the efficiency of the device largely depends on the humidity of the surrounding air. In hot climates and relative humidity up to just over 50%, the system works flawlessly. The efficiency of the installation is reduced in proportion to the increase in air humidity, so even if the temperature outside the window has exceeded 40C, with a relative humidity of 80%, the effect obtained will noticeably decrease. That is why the development of Leonid and Vladimir has brilliant prospects, for example, in the countries of the Middle East, in Mexico and in the south of the USA or in the arid regions of Asia, where the Evopolar can provide high efficiency with a minimum of energy costs. For work, a replaceable cartridge is used for $ 20, which needs to be replaced once a year.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/366887/
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