UNSW Rockpool - waterless dishwasher

This year’s winners of the international Electrolux Design Laboratory, squeezed out entries from nine other universities around the globe, to take home the trophy for a dishwasher concept that uses no water or chemicals. Three students from University of NSW in Sydney, Australia, opted instead, to utlise super critical carbon dioxide in a closed loop system. Too much scientific mumbo jumbo for me. So I dug a little deeper. If I've got my small brain around it properly, CO2 can be pressurised to the point that it becomes a liquid. A liquid that has solvent properties for removing grease.

(Seems that NASA are considering the concept for cleaning tasks as well). Additionally, this form of carbon dioxide has a very low surface tension, meaning instead of beading up into a ball like water does, it spreads out widely covering all the surfaces of dishes. This would eliminate the usual need for mechanical do-dads that rotate dishes and water around. The CO2 is later separated from the wash grime and captured for future re-use. Dish grease is then dispensed through a kitchen’s greywater system. It would appear however, that Electrolux won’t rush the idea to market, but it certainly has them thinking. Slovakia came in second with their combo clothes washer/dryer and the UK picked up a third place for a table that converts into a cooktop. ::Electrolux Design Lab [by WM]