A new cooling system has been developed that could make air conditioning more efficient and environmentally friendly. Most air conditioners and refrigerators use compressing and expanding fluids to absorb or release heat, but these systems are not very efficient and require a lot of energy. Additionally, many of the coolants used are harmful to the environment.
Researchers at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology have developed a coolant-free refrigeration device made from lead, scandium, and tantalum. It can reach efficiencies of more than 60 percent, which is almost double that of typical single-room air conditioning units.
The technology uses a principle called electrocaloric cooling, where an electric field applied across a material changes the direction of electric charges, causing a temporary increase in temperature and subsequent decrease when the electric field is removed.
The cooling system consists of stacked strips of lead scandium tantalate, which is electrocaloric, immersed in heat-carrying fluid silicone oil. When an electric field is switched on, the strips heat up and the fluid moves, creating regions of hot and cold that can be used to cool or heat rooms or objects.
While the efficiency of the device is theoretically 67 percent, the current design is around 12 percent efficient. The researchers believe that this could be improved with a better thermal conductor than the lead scandium tantalate.
This new cooling system has the potential to significantly reduce electricity use for cooling, making it a promising alternative to traditional air conditioning units.
Unique Insight: The use of electrocaloric cooling and the combination of lead, scandium, and tantalum in this new cooling system is an innovative approach to improving energy efficiency in cooling technologies. Furthermore, the potential to reduce electricity use in buildings by almost half is a significant development in sustainable energy solutions.
