World's First Experiment Uses Two-Fluid Mist Nozzles to Create Installation Art and Provide Cool Spots at the Same Time

Osaka, Japan - Panasonic Corporation, in collaboration with Obuchi Laboratory from Advanced Design Studies at the Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering of the University of Tokyo (T_ADS Obuchi Lab), conducted a field test for the company's "Green AC Flex," which emits an ultra-fine dry mist, to assess its effectiveness as installation art*1 as well as a hot weather solution. The trial, the first experiment in the world*2 using two-fluid mist nozzles to concurrently demonstrate their capacity to produce spatial art and outdoor cooling effects, took place at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tokyo from July 13 to August 4, 2020.

T_ADS Obuchi Lab has been working with private businesses to address human-centered design and construction in the field of architecture and design. Panasonic has been working on heat countermeasures utilizing mist at various places, such as the areas surrounding outdoor sports competition venues, sightseeing spots, stations and shopping streets. Since 2019, the lab and Panasonic have been working on joint research focusing on verifying measures to combat heat in terms of architecture and examining new ways of using mist.

In this field test, 45 Green AC Flex mist nozzles were mounted, at a height of four meters above the ground, on the three-dimensional aluminum truss frame structure*3 installed in the courtyard of the Swiss Embassy facility. By using the large-capacity type of the Green AC Flex supporting single-phase 200V*4, more power input than the conventional, single-phase 100V model, it was possible to spray mist more efficiently even in a wide open outdoor space with more connectable nozzles per unit. Super fine mist particles were sprayed in the space to create artificial clouds within the frame structure. The test aimed to assess their cooling effect by evaporation and the shading effect of the artificially created clouds of the mist. It turned out that the body surface temperature measured by a thermo-viewer decreased by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius*5.

The Green AC Flex features a two-fluid nozzle capable of spraying fine mist by mixing air and water, producing finer particles compared to a one-fluid nozzle that sprays only water. As a result, the Green AC Flex sprays ultra-fine dry mist that people barely feel wet when exposed at close range. When evaporating, the microscopic particles of the mist remove heat from the skin and make people feel cool, while removing heat in the air to lower the temperature. In addition, since it only requires the power supply and tap water to set up, it can also be used as a temporary installation for outdoor venues in the summer and for short-term events. This air cooling mist system could provide a new value of space for people to enjoy the installation outdoors even under the hot sun in the summer.

With its Green AC Flex super-fine dry mist technology, Panasonic aims to create a new value of space by not only providing a solution to cope with the heat in summer, but also enabling spatial presentation in the architecture and design field, including creating an installation art space in public facilities.

*1: A genre of modern art: an installation artwork featuring large-scale, mixed media construction with objects and/or devices in a specific place, whether indoors or outdoors, enabling visitors to enjoy exhibits and exhibition spaces as a whole firsthand by being there.
*2: World's first experiment using two-fluid mist nozzles. As of July 2020 (based on a Panasonic survey)
*3: 5.7 m wide × 5.7 m long × 3.9 m high
*4: Launched in August 2020.
https://news.panasonic.com/jp/press/data/2020/07/jn200729-3/jn200729-3.html (in Japanese)
*5: The difference of the body surface temperatures when the subject was outside the aluminum truss frame, and then entered the frame for 2 minutes during daytime on a sunny day 33 degrees Celsius. (mean value of N=2).

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