Modern refrigerators now have digital screens and Internet connectivity, but the underlying technology remains much the same as that of their ancestors invented in 1834. It still uses compression of gas to produce cold air. However, now a group of researchers from Nankai University in Tianjin (China) New technology It could fundamentally change refrigeration systems, and in the process, reduce the use of greenhouse gases. It is based on Elastocaloric effect, very noticeable when you stretch the rubber band and bring it close to your lips. The band heats up and cools down when you take it off. However, their approach is based not only on stretching the material, but also on twisting it to enhance its refrigeration effect. Enter the twisted caloric effect.
The engineers behind the experiment decided to test the properties of several materials such as rubber, nylon, polyethylene and nickel-titanium wire. Stretch and twist tests yielded temperature increases of up to 15°C, with similar temperature decreases when the material returned to its original state.According to researchers, this efficiency is refrigerated approach It offers twice the power of the basic stretch system while being comparable to traditional systems.
Following the first test of this technology experiment, they developed a micro-fridge the size of a ballpoint pen cartridge and powered by nickel-cadmium wire. a little wateroIn a matter of seconds C.
one of the factors that hindered the development of Elastocaloric refrigeration Systems in the past had enough space to operate. For example, a rubber band must be stretched up to seven times its original size to cool sufficiently.of twisted calorie technologynevertheless, the system is much more compact as half the space can be used to stretch and twist the material.
Pioneer in the application of elastocaloric effect
A team from the Technical University of Denmark Applications of the elastocaloric effect Uses nickel-cadmium wire. Engineers had been researching magnetocaloric cooling, a technique that works by modifying the magnetic field of certain materials, for several years before starting to explore the possibility of the elastocaloric effect as a more efficient alternative. It was they who came up with the alloy used by the researchers who discovered it. twist calorie effect.
In addition to enabling the development of more efficient refrigerators, one of the goals of the Danish researchers was to create a system that works regardless of gravity. Therefore, it may be applied to thermal control of space systems.In any case, the biggest challenge here is technology project We are now overcoming an effect known as material fatigue. This is the wear of materials subjected to stretching and torsion.
sauce: scientific journals, science daily
