Ancient Persian techniques offer modern air conditioning alternatives

Summer this year is expected to be hot, making home air conditioning essential. However, the cost of purchasing and operating these devices can be high. Therefore, alternative cooling methods that do not require electricity are worth considering. Interestingly, such methods were already used in ancient times.

Air conditioners are an ideal solution during oppressive heat, but their installation is expensive, and usage generates high costs. However, techniques for cooling rooms were developed even in ancient times. For example, the Persians used the so-called qanats – underground channels through which cool water flowed.

As far back as 2300 years ago, the Persians developed systems that could lower the temperature inside buildings by up to 16 degrees Celsius. Their engineering solutions were so advanced that they enabled ice storage throughout the year.

To understand the functioning of the Persian air conditioning system, one must look at its construction. The system consisted of several elements: underground channels, underground cisterns, and wind catchers. Qanats transported cool water, cisterns stored it, and wind catchers directed airflow. The Persians possessed advanced knowledge of physics, which allowed them to create such efficient cooling systems.

From a bird's eye view, qanats look like a system of evenly spaced pits in the ground. The construction of the channels began at the water source. The next step was to lead the tunnel towards the hill to reach the alluvial cone, where sediments carried by water settled. Thanks to this, water-bearing layers were found underground, allowing the creation of wells to supply the system with clean water.

During the tunnel drilling, the builders periodically created openings around which they scattered the excavated material, forming protective cones. These openings later facilitated the maintenance of the tunnel and the supply of fresh air.

Due to the slope of the terrain, the qanats were located at various depths, from 30 to even 270 metres. The gentle slope of the channels, amounting to around 1 metre per 1-1.5 kilometres in length, ensured a steady water flow, minimising the risk of bottom erosion.

Qanats were built at great depths, meaning the water was cold. Underground cisterns stored it and, in combination with wind catchers, created an air conditioning system. This system employed the Bernoulli effect: wind catchers directed hot air into the shaft leading to the channel, creating a vacuum and drawing cold air into the channel. This cold air could then be circulated to the rooms. Continuous air circulation allowed the cooling of buildings without the use of electricity.