Mist Ecology Case Study
This is Cool!
Mist Ecology Selects Paragon Innovations to Design Electronic Controller for Evaporative Coolant Product.
History
Mist Ecology, founded in 2007, provides innovative products that increase the efficiency of residential and commercial air conditioning units. Air conditioners cool by absorbing heat inside buildings and moving or releasing it to the outdoors. As it gets hotter outdoors and more cooling is needed, the amount of heat that can be released is reduced. Yet the compressor has to work harder to raise the refrigerant to higher pressures. This results in the AC unit using more electricity and having a lower cooling capacity.
AC Spritzer’s unique design incorporates a control valve that insures that water is misted and evaporated only when outdoor conditions are hot enough to make a substantial benefit. The pre-coolers also have replaceable filters to capture any mist not evaporated and prevent mineral deposits from accumulating on the condenser coils.
Challenge
The initial version of AC Spritzer used an off-the shelf controller and required third-party, EPA-licensed installers to tap into the Freon line to connect the controller. As a result, Mist Ecology incurred repair costs when the product was installed incorrectly. In addition, the misters turned on every time the AC unit turned on, whether or not the misters were needed.
Mist Ecology approached Paragon Innovations to design and manufacture an electrical controller that would:
- Detect when the AC unit turns on
- Determine when the misters would be most useful
- Eliminate the need to tap directly into the Freon line
Solution
Paragon Innovations held multiple brainstorming sessions with Mist Ecology to determine the conditions when the misting system is most useful based on temperatures outside and inside the house. During these sessions, it also was determined to allow the customer to have more control of when the misters turn on and off.
Based on initial specifications and additional functionality, Paragon designed an electrical controller that provided the following:
- Cables to connect directly to the AC unit’s thermostat or attach to the intake and outtake pipes to determine with the AC unit was on which eliminated to need for licensed installers
- Sensor which determined the outside temperature
- Programmable features to specify the minimum temperature setpoint for the misting system to turn on, a timer to specified days and times
- LCD panel for easy programming
Paragon also sourced parts and manufacturing to manage and deliver the initial order.
Results
Through a collaborative process, Paragon designed and delivered a feature-rich controller that was easy to install and program, and which opened up a new “do-it-yourself” market for Mist Ecology.
