|

Loading ...
|
|
|
|
pages views since 05/19/2016 : 142999
· Members : 7
· News : 806
· Downloads : 0
· Links : 0
|
|
|
|
Cleaner and Greener Heat Pump Developed by Scientists
|
|
|
Posted by Okachinepa on 12/25/2024 @


Courtesy of SynEvol
Credit: U.S Department of Energy Ames National Laboratory
A magnetocaloric heat pump created by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames National Laboratory is comparable to conventional vapor-compression heat pumps in terms of weight, price, and efficiency. Vapor-compression technology, which has been the foundation of heating and cooling systems for over a century, relies on refrigerants that pose significant environmental risks. These refrigerants contribute to global carbon emissions and, when leaked, release chemicals harmful to both humans and ecosystems.
Due to their increased energy efficiency and ability to eliminate refrigerant emissions, magnetocaloric heat pumps present a promising alternative for heating and cooling. However, in all three crucial areas—weight, cost, and performance—magnetocaloric devices have so far been unable to compete with vapor-compression systems. An important step toward more environmentally friendly heating and cooling technologies has been taken with this new development.
According to Julie Slaughter, the leader of the study team, they started their investigation by constructing a magnetocaloric heat pump. "We started by examining what is currently available and how closely the current magnetocaloric devices resemble compressors," she said. "After creating a baseline design, we asked ourselves, 'Now, how far can we push the technology?'"
In order to transfer heat, a magnetocaloric heat pump modifies the magnetic field that is applied to a magnetocaloric material while pumping fluid. Permanent magnets are usually used for this, Slaughter stated. The device's core uses magnetic steel to contain the magnetic field and rotating permanent magnets in relation to the magnetocaloric material. The team's predictions are heavily influenced by how these three parts are arranged as they looked at ways to increase the heat pump's power density.
Evaluating the two most popular magnetocaloric materials employed in these heat pumps was another aspect of their research. substance based on gadolinium and lanthanum-iron-silicon-hydride.
We used gadolinium as the only material in our baseline device to keep things simple. The power capability of lanthanum-iron-silicon materials is higher than that of gadolinium. Thus, the power density automatically rises. They simply aren't as accessible and need a variety of materials in a single device to function well," Slaughter stated. "We included estimates of LaFeSi performance for the most power-dense devices in our evaluations."
Slaughter's team concentrated on making better use of available space and materials, as well as lowering the quantity of magnetic steel and permanent magnet material required for the pump to function well. Because to these efforts, the fundamental components of the system now weigh the same as the compressors that are currently on the market.
"We demonstrated that we can compete with some of the current compressors in terms of power density," Slaughter added. The majority of the mass is made up of magnetic steel and permanent magnets rather than pricey magnetocaloric material, which greatly aids in affordability. We made the assumption that if a device weighs around the same, its mass production cost will also be roughly the same.
|
|
|