Unmet Need / Invention Novelty: The current global warming crisis and increasing human population necessitates temperature cooling with less emissions. There exists an unmet need to develop air cooling systems that have minimal energy demand and carbon emission.
Technical Details: Researchers at Johns Hopkins have constructed an energy efficient air-cooling system. The system, MycoCooler, is a mushroom based air-cooling system that uses the evaporative cooling capacity of hypothermic mushrooms to cool air. Briefly, MycoCooler is loaded with hypothermic mushrooms, air entering the inlet is cooled by the mushrooms, and the air is subsequently released though an outlet that has an exhaust fan attached. A prototype model of MycoCooler reduced temperature in a closed compartment by approximately 10 degrees Celsius in 25 minutes.
Value Proposition:
· Mushroom-based air-cooling system capable of effective temperature reduction
· Energy efficient and environmentally friendly
Looking for Partners to: Develop & commercialize as a novel energy efficient air-cooling system.
Stage of Development: Proof of concept studies completed with prototype.
Data Availability: Prototype available and validated in proof-of-concept studies
Inventors: Radames JB Cordero & Arturo Casadevall
Patent Status: Provisional patent application filed.
Publication(s): Cordero RJB and Casadevall A. 2020. Hypothermia is a characteristic of the fungal kingdom. bioRxiv. doi: 10.1101/2020.05.09.085969
Issued U.S. Patent 11,871,707
