How it works

Close Comfort was invented here in Australia. Professor James Trevelyan conceived a completely different solution for air conditioning. A solution that is so convenient, so much less expensive, and so much better for you and the environment.

Unlike normal room air conditioners, Close Comfort provides localised cooling. Close Comfort just cools the part of the room where you are sitting or sleeping. It works in all rooms, even outside in sheltered areas. With localised cooling, creating a comfortable micro-climate around you, Close Comfort avoids wasting energy cooling the walls, floor, ceiling and furniture. You save as much as 85% saving of air conditioning electricity consumption, and keep the windows open so you breathe healthy fresh air at all times.

Close Comfort uses compressor refrigeration, so you feel that refreshing crisp air that defeats all the discomfort from heat and humidity. At the same time, it never needs recharging, never needs water or ice, and adjusts automatically so it works harder in high humidity.

The special part about our technology lies in the way we provide a flow of cool air: enough to make you feel cool, but slow and gentle so no energy is wasted cooling the walls and floor.  We had to develop special fans, nozzles and heat exchanger technology to reduce the size and weight, and also minimize the warm air coming from the back side of the air conditioner.

Where does the warm air go?

Close Comfort exhausts a gentle stream of warm air up to the ceiling where the heat dissipates without warming the room perceptibly. Due to higher energy efficiency the warm air produced is barely noticeable thus, does not require an inconvenient pipe out the window, like normal air conditioners.  It’s best to keep a door or window open to allow fresh air to circulate.

What is the BTU rating, and what size of a room does it cool?

About 2500 BTU/hr in dry air and 3500 BTU/hr in high humidity.
Normal air conditioners provide 12,000 – 24,000 cooling but require 4 – 8 times more electricity.
Close Comfort works in any size of room as cooling is concentrated on the user.

Technical Specifications

How is Close Comfort Diferent

 

Energy Use	Close Comfort draws only 300 Watts, as little as 150 Watts with the Igloo tent	A split AC draws 1200 – 2400 Watts, though an inverter model can run on as little as 400 Watts in a small, sealed, well-insulated room
Portability	Close Comfort is only 17 Kg and can move from room to room easily on wheels	A split AC only cools the room it is installed in
Cooling Effect	Close Comfort provides instant direct cooling with adjustable fan speed	A split AC takes 30 minutes or more to cool the room using full power
Consumables, Maintenance	Close Comfort requires no consumables. It’s easy to check the filters and clean them if needed every two weeks. We recommend annual cleaning by a technician once a year in dusty places.	Annual internal cleaning by a technician is needed. Leaking water and refrigerant is common, and a contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
Health	Use Close Comfort with windows and doors open so your family enjoys fresh air all the time.	A split air conditioner must be operated in a sealed room where CO2 and other human emissions build up. Dry air can cause eye and skin irritation.