Researchers develop breakthrough cooling system that does not use any electricity

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a cooling system that does not use any electricity.

‘Passive cooling’, as the technique is called, could preserve food crops and supplement conventional air conditioners in buildings while only needing a small amount of water to operate.

The system – which combines radiative cooling, evaporative cooling, and thermal insulation in a small housing that looks similar to a solar panel – can achieve 9.3 degrees Celsius of cooling. It is made up of three layers of material: one of a sponge-like polyethylene known as aerogel, one layer of hydrogel, and finally a reflective layer.