On Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:23:35 -0700, "Stupendous Man"
wrote:

I just brought home a 1944 copy of Audell's "Refrigeration and Air
Conditioning Guide". That ought to be fun reading this winter.
Lots of chapters dealing with marine and commercial units, drinking water
coolers, brine systems, and even soda fountain equipment, but no mention of
automotive as it hadn't been done yet.
Makes me want to restore and old cooling tower. Remember those scenic
wonders? I know where two are still standing.

Automotive had to have been done before 1944, but it would still be
somewhere between the "Laboratory Prototype" and "Very expensive and
not widely used - which would bring down the cost but we can't get the
ball rolling" stage. The only place you would need it back then is
the President's bulletproof limousine or other armored car - everyone
else can roll down the windows.

The sticking points were probably weight, added horsepower needs in
the days when you didn't have a lot to spare, added electrical needs
in the days of the DC generator and 6-volt system that was pretty well
maxed out already, and the high pressure rubber hoses to put it all
together, coming up with a synthetic rubber that would keep the
refrigerant on the inside long term.

Water cooled condensers (cooling towers) are still made new and in
use, but mostly in commercial settings where they have an on-site
maintenance staff. The reason they don't get used more is that added
energy efficiency also comes with a lot more maintenance work - you
have to clean and descale it, and drain and refill, and keep the
chemistry right and the fill valve from sticking, and occasionally
rebuild it.

They've got some nifty small fiberglass units, but even though the
outer shell doesn't rust and/or corrode the guts still do...

-- Bruce --