New air-based refrigeration system developed to interchange dangerous refrigerants – Uplaza

The Korea Institute of Vitality Analysis (KIER) has developed, for the primary time within the nation, a refrigeration expertise that makes use of air as a refrigerant as a substitute of Freon gasoline, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and different refrigerants that trigger international warming.

The European Union’s revised regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) took impact in March this 12 months. Beginning in 2025, the gross sales of the merchandise containing F-gases shall be step by step phased out. Moreover, rules on processes utilizing F-gases are anticipated to be strengthened. Since F-gases are utilized in key Korean export merchandise equivalent to air conditioners, cars, and semiconductor processes, there’s a pressing have to develop various applied sciences.

The analysis staff efficiently developed an built-in ultra-high-speed compander utilized in air refrigeration and, for the primary time in Korea, created an air cooling system. Through the use of this method, it’s potential to realize a temperature setting of -60 levels Celsius utilizing air as a refrigerant.

Conventional refrigeration and cooling programs have primarily used the vapor compression cycle. On this methodology, cooling is achieved because the liquid refrigerant evaporates and absorbs warmth. Because of its easy construction and design, it’s broadly used throughout numerous fields. Nevertheless, a key disadvantage is its dependence on fluorinated greenhouse gases as coolants, resulting in the affect of world warming.

In response, the analysis staff targeted on implementing a cooling system based mostly on the reverse-Brayton cycle, which makes use of air because the refrigerant. In contrast to the standard methodology that entails evaporating a liquid, this method compresses a gasoline after which goes by warmth alternate and enlargement to supply a low-temperature gasoline, enabling cooling with out the necessity for liquid refrigerants.

Nevertheless, the complexity of designing and constructing such a system has been a big problem, stopping its software in refrigeration programs till now. The compander should be designed with excessive precision because of the ultra-high-speed rotation through the cooling course of. As an example, the gaps between elements and shaft displacement require a tolerance inside 0.1 millimeters.

To implement the reverse-Brayton cycle system, the analysis staff devised a compander system that connects the compressor, expander, and motor on a single shaft. Though the compressor and expander are related to a single shaft, every gadget should function at its personal most effectivity. Moreover, the shaft system design ensures secure operation even at ultra-high rotational speeds, additional enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the system.

The cooling system using the developed compander efficiently cooled air to beneath -60 levels Celsius inside only one hour. Notably, when producing chilly temperatures beneath -50 levels Celsius, the system demonstrated increased refrigeration effectivity in comparison with conventional vapor compression programs. Theoretically, it’s able to cooling right down to -100 levels Celsius, and at that temperature, the refrigeration effectivity is anticipated to enhance by greater than 50% in comparison with vapor compression programs.

Dr. Beom Joon Lee, the lead researcher, said, “Due to environmental regulations, refrigeration systems that primarily use refrigerants with a high global warming potential are rapidly transitioning to the use of eco-friendly refrigerants.”

He added, “We are currently working on improving the system’s performance to enable the production of cold temperatures below -100 degrees Celsius. We anticipate that this technology will be applied in fields that require ultra-low temperatures, such as semiconductor processes, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.”