Project aims to shrink cooling systems
Thermoelectric and magnetic cooling technologies have been put forward as environmentally-friendly alternatives to vapor compression. However, these technologies struggle to compete with vapor-compression due to intrinsically low energy efficiency of just 10%, and the need for large and expensive magnets to generate the magnetic fields needed to run magnetic coolers. Electrocaloric systems can potentially reach efficiency levels of 60 to 70%, allowing much smaller solid state cooling systems for electronics.
“This project builds on considerable research and expertise that has been developed at NPL," said Tatiana Correia (above) who is leading the project at NPL and looking for industrial input from electronics companies. "Our experience in this area makes us confident that, over the next three years, we can develop the first electrocaloric refrigerator ever to operate close to room temperature”.
To support electrocaloric cooling technology, NPL is also developing and leading a new multimillion pound project funded by European Metrology Research Programme, METCO (Metrology of Electro-Thermal Coupling) which brings together Europe’s leading research centres and industry to develop unique capabilities for the traceable and accurate measurements of electrocaloric effect in materials.
“An electrocaloric cooler, however, could potentially deliver higher efficiency than vapour compression – as the creation of an electric field requires less energy than the compression process to create the same level of cooling. It could also offer reduced size and weight, making it viable for applications like cooling electronics,” said Maciej Rokosz – PhD student at NPL and Imperial.
“We are confident that our design ideas, combined with the expertise we have at NPL and Imperial, will be able to develop a viable cooler. However we are still very keen to hear from industry who can work with us to look at the different applications this could be applied to,” said Correia.
www.npl.co.uk
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