Ceiling Cooler by Mr. Gopal Saluja!

While costly air conditioners and air coolers have been around for years, Gopal Saluja has developed a unique ‘ceiling cooler’ by upgrading the ubiquitous ceiling fan. The ceiling cooler comprises the ceiling fan, a submersible water pump with a motor, and a cylindrical water container having an arrangement for continuous water drip, as used in desert coolers. Facilitated by GIAN North, Jaipur, the unit has been tested for functional validation and performance at the Electronic Test and Development Center, Haryana State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd. (HARTRON), which mentions that the output of the ceiling cooler was satisfactory. Another test of the same was done at MNIT whose test results show that the ceiling cooler was able to bring about a change of temperature between 2.5° to 5.25° C in varying conditions of temperature and humidity.

NIF has filed a patent (1025/DEL/2008) for the technology in the innovator’s name.

Ceiling Cooler In News

The innovator of “ceiling cooler”, Mr. Gopal Saluja, is distressed by the lack of support for his innovation, which can perhaps change the face of the cooler industry in the country.

Mr. Saluja, a resident of Ambala Cantonment, has developed a ceiling cooler. It is similar to a traditional cooler but its advantages set it apart from the latter one. However, Mr. Saluja is far from happy due to the “lack of support” to his effort.

“I am not getting any support for turning my innovation into a commercial venture,” he said.

He has assured Rs 10 lakh for starting a commercial venture by the Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network (Gian) North, but nothing had come out of that assurance. “I do not know from whom to seek help. It is a difficult situation for me,” he said.

Mr. Saluja is an electrician. He had to spend a considerable part of his meager savings for turning his dream into reality.

However, Jaipur-based senior manager (product development), Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network (North), Mr. Rajeev Kumar Singhal, said Mr. Saluja’s claim did not hold water. “I must first make it clear that we are not bankers. We are facilitators and we provide extensive assistance to innovators,” he said.

“We have made no commitment to Mr. Saluja for Rs 10 lakh. In any case, such a large sum cannot be committed by any institution for developing a product which costs a few thousand rupees,” he added.

He said Mr. Gopal Saluja’s innovation was selected during the fifth campaign of the National Innovation Foundation. “The fifth campaign is currently on and we are still accepting entries. Now, the facilitation process is in the advanced stages for the innovators in the third campaign. The fifth campaign will be taken up after the fourth-campaign facilitation is over,” he said.

He said a sum of Rs 6,000 was provided to Mr. Gopal Saluja for developing the prototype.

“Mr. Saluja had told us that there were buyers for his product so we encouraged him to make a few ceiling coolers so that he could get buyers’ feedback. The feedback would be helpful in further improving the product before the start of the commercial production,” he said.

The ceiling cooler developed by Mr. Gopal Saluja has comparatively low electricity consumption, low water consumption, costs less than traditional coolers and it is inverter compatible.

The ceiling cooler is fitted around the ceiling fan and there is an automatic water supply. The ceiling cooler has been tested at Electronics Test and Development Centre and its working was found to be satisfactory.

Current Status

It is a cooler that can be mounted on the ceiling making use of the existing ceiling fan and thereby saving space. The ceiling cooler comprises an ordinary ceiling fan, a submersible water pump with a motor, a cylindrical water container having a grass pad (Tati), and an arrangement for water drip similar to that in the desert cooler. This fan also uses cotton strips clad in aluminum mesh (for strength and extra cooling) that are dipped in water. As the fan is turned on, air comes through the strips which are always kept moist by capillary suction. This is a very simple and cheap solution and uses an existing ceiling fan.