
In adsorption cooling systems, molecules of vapor refrigerant (the guest) are adsorbed in the nanopores of a solid material (the host). Motkuri and his collaborators have studied how changing the geometry of the nanopores (pore engineering) and the speed of host-guest chemical interactions affect the cooling capacity and energy efficiency of adsorption cooling systems.
(Image by Rose Perry | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
Ensemble approach offers path to energy-saving air-conditioning
When the heat of summer hits, air conditioners turn on and energy demand skyrockets, straining the grid. In a warmer world, more efficient cooling options will play an important role in curbing the increase of cooling-related energy demands. This will be particularly true for the nearly 80 percent of the global population living in countries surrounding the equator, where even small temperature increases could be life-threatening.
New research from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) provides a roadmap outlining how more efficient cooling systems are feasible with development and support from industry. The invited research study appeared in the journal, Accounts of Chemical Research.
“Right now, this is fundamental science. However, this could be a game changer for industry,” said Radha Motkuri, PNNL chemical engineer and corresponding author.
The chemistry of cool
Motkuri and the research team examined one approach that could offer significant energy savings: adsorption cooling. These systems can run on small amounts of waste heat from a building or industrial plant to power reactions between a vapor refrigerant and a solid material.
“Once we input power the first time, that’s it,” explained Motkuri. “Then, the system keeps on cycling—adsorption, desorption, adsorption, desorption—with very little power input.”
This is in direct contrast to conventional cooling systems that use a compressor and require regular inputs of energy.
Tuning an adsorption cooling system to achieve ideal cooling capacity and energy efficiency requires understanding the complex chemistry between the system’s vapor refrigerant, called the guest, and solid absorbent material, called the host. Motkuri and his collaborators dug into these details—adjusting the pore geometry of the solid sorbent, the speed of chemical interactions, and even the impact of tiny defects in the solid material—to understand how they affect the entire system. Recently, the team was invited to compile their work into an efficient ensemble that can help developers in the cooling industry trying to meet the demand for more energy efficient options.
“Refrigerant-based adsorption cooling eliminates the major cost, efficiency, and reliability issues that have limited adoption of current water-based adsorption cooling systems in commercial and residential buildings,” said Pete McGrail, Laboratory fellow and chemical engineer who led PNNL’s adsorption cooling effort for several years. “This journal article represents a synopsis of years of research into novel sorbent-refrigerant pairs that significantly advanced adsorption cooling technology.”
Environmentally conscious components
With global heatwaves on the rise and cooling-related energy demands expected to triple by 2050, there is a push for cooling systems with smaller environmental footprints. In addition to more energy efficient systems, this includes changing standards for refrigerants.
Commonly used hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants will be phased out in the next few years in favor of more environmentally friendly hydrofluoro-olefins (HFOs). HFOs have a global warming potential near zero, which means that emissions of HFOs hold much less relative heat in the atmosphere compared to emissions of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants.
Aware of this transition, Motkuri and his collaborators conducted their testing using the readily available, inexpensive hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant, R-134a. This hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant has a high global warming potential, but a similar chemical behavior to HFOs, which makes it a suitable alternative for studying the molecular interactions of adsorption cooling systems that will use HFOs in the future. The researchers look forward to integrating HFOs in future adsorption cooling research as the next step in green cooling systems.
Original Article: Greener Air-Conditioning for a Warmer World
More from: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Green cooling systems
- Elastocaloric cooling system opens door to climate-friendly AC
Air conditioning, refrigeration, and other cooling technologies account for more than 20 percent of today's global energy consumption, while the refrigerants they use have a global warming potential ...
- Breezaire Unveils Eco-Friendly Cooling Solutions For Sustainable Living
Embrace a Cool, Green Future with Breezaire's Cutting-Edge Climate Control Innovations CASPER, WYOMING, UNITED STATES, June 6, 2023/ ...
- SLT-MOBITEL unveils technologically advanced ‘Operational Green Headquarters’ in Welikada
SLT-MOBITEL unveiled its technologically advanced, high tech Operational Green Headquarters, first in the history of SLT, located at Welikada, Colombo recently.Designed with state-of-the-art ...
- Giant Ice Trays Cool Buildings Using Green Energy
Israel's Nostromo Energy uses ice to cool commercial buildings during hours in which there is peak energy consumption.
- Toyin-Ann Yerifor Discusses Designing for Comfort and Energy Efficiency
When it comes to mechanical heating and cooling systems, Toyin-Ann advocates for ... Through her unwavering dedication to sustainable design and green building practices, Toyin-Ann is well on ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Green cooling systems
[google_news title=”” keyword=”green cooling systems” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Adsorption cooling
- Best cooling mattress in 2023: avoid overheating and wake up refreshed
Finding the best cooling mattress can be a game-changer if you have a tendency to wake up in a hot sweat at night. Some people tend to sleep hot, while others will appreciate a degree of cooling ...
- Water Cooling A 3D Printer
If you heat it up too early, you’ll get jams. That’s why nearly all hot ends have some sort of fan cooling. However, lately we have seen announcements and crowd-funding campaigns that make it ...
- The best cooling mattress in 2023: cool beds for hot sleepers
Read more about how we test mattresses. One of the best cooling mattresses can make night sweats a thing of the past. If you tend to overheat at night, and wake up uncomfortably warm, any of the ...
- 11 Best Cooling Mattress Toppers That'll Work for Even the Hottest of Sleepers
It also has a breathable organic cotton cover for added cooling comfort. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, this is it. This memory foam topper is infused with temperature ...
- More Power – And Cooling – To You
This is especially true as many of these systems are starting to require liquid cooling, which many datacenters can’t handle gracefully. There is also interest in immersion cooling, which we think is ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Adsorption cooling
[google_news title=”” keyword=”adsorption cooling” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]