Dishwasher cleans up international design competition
19th November 2004
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| Nicholls, Nash and Lie |
A revolutionary dishwasher created by three UNSW students that uses carbon dioxide instead of water won a worldwide design competition on Friday 19 November.
The Rockpool beat designs from eight other institutions to win the Electrolux Design Laboratory in New York. The UNSW team designed the Rockpool based on consumers’ concern for water use and the inconvenience of loading and unloading dishes in traditional dishwashers.
“It’s a wonderful tribute to the quality of the industrial design program, the quality of students it attracts and the high level of commitment from staff,” said Professor Peter Murphy, Dean of the Faculty of the Built Environment. “To be chosen as the first Australian design group to participate in this global competition reflects this and to actually win is an extraordinary accolade.”
The bench top-mounted appliance is the collective brainchild of industrial design students Douglas Nash, Oystein Lie and Ross Nicholls from the Faculty of the Built Environment. It is unique in that its washing system uses pressurised carbon dioxide. This process creates a supercritical fluid that acts as a powerful solvent, cutting the grease on plates and cutlery.
Supercritical carbon dioxide has been used in some industrial cleaning processes but this is the first time it has been considered for a dishwasher. NASA is examining similar technology for cleaning processes on manned missions to Mars.
The 2004 Electrolux Design Laboratory project began in February, when students were challenged to develop new appliance solutions for the future based on satisfying evolving consumer needs and trends. Electrolux will have the right to develop the waterless dishwasher for commercial production and sale to homeowners around the world.
The Rockpool beat designs from eight other institutions to win the Electrolux Design Laboratory in New York. The UNSW team designed the Rockpool based on consumers’ concern for water use and the inconvenience of loading and unloading dishes in traditional dishwashers.
“It’s a wonderful tribute to the quality of the industrial design program, the quality of students it attracts and the high level of commitment from staff,” said Professor Peter Murphy, Dean of the Faculty of the Built Environment. “To be chosen as the first Australian design group to participate in this global competition reflects this and to actually win is an extraordinary accolade.”
The bench top-mounted appliance is the collective brainchild of industrial design students Douglas Nash, Oystein Lie and Ross Nicholls from the Faculty of the Built Environment. It is unique in that its washing system uses pressurised carbon dioxide. This process creates a supercritical fluid that acts as a powerful solvent, cutting the grease on plates and cutlery.
Supercritical carbon dioxide has been used in some industrial cleaning processes but this is the first time it has been considered for a dishwasher. NASA is examining similar technology for cleaning processes on manned missions to Mars.
The 2004 Electrolux Design Laboratory project began in February, when students were challenged to develop new appliance solutions for the future based on satisfying evolving consumer needs and trends. Electrolux will have the right to develop the waterless dishwasher for commercial production and sale to homeowners around the world.
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