When there is so much talk about conserving energy, why not create a solution that harks back to fire instead of resource-intensive electricity? Well, the Egloo created by Marco Zagaria, fulfills this low-impact quotient with its utilization of heat generated by simple candles.
In essence, it is a candle-powered contraption that can be used for warming the interior space of rooms. How so? In terms of basic principle, the Egloo is crafted from two layers of terracotta – which as a ductile material has the incredible capacity to absorb and then radiate heat. So, these terracotta domes (one internal and another external) absorb the heat generated from the candles that are placed inside on a metallic grill base.
There is a direction of heat exchange between the dome layers, which is further accelerated by the regular air-intake of the external dome. This finally results in the phenomena of thermal exchange, thus dissipating heat into the room environment.
As for the usage pattern of the Egloo, the designer touts the heating system to be ready within 5 minutes to achieve the right internal (heated) temperature, when ‘fueled’ by four candles. When translated to figures, the thinner internal dome chamber can account for a high rate of of heat between 140 and 180 degrees Centigrade, while the external dome can account for 30 to 50 degrees Centigrade. All of these can pertain to around 3 degrees rise in temperature of a room, when the system is working for 30 minutes.
Of course, beyond just the numbers attached with the Egloo, the heating efficiency also depends on the size of the room – which according to the designer can range up to an area of 20 sq m. And each heating session can exist till 5 hours, after which refills have to be made for only 10 cents.
So, if you are sufficiently enticed by the prospect of heating your room in a less power-intensive yet environment-friendly manner, do give a gander at Egloo’s Indiegogo campaign, with product pricing starting from $60. You can also take a look at the similar principled DIY Zeer Pot, which utilizes the heat-propagation quality of terracotta for cooling.
