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In recent years, innovation in refrigeration technologies has aroused growing interest, especially due to environmental concerns. A new generation of air conditioners may well revolutionize our way of consuming energy. In Cambridge, researchers have developed “solid refrigerants”, materials that could represent a significant advance in the field. These new refrigerants not only promise to reduce our ecological impact, but also to improve the energy efficiency of air conditioning devices.
Solid refrigerants: a major technological advance
Solid refrigerants, developed in Cambridge, come in the form of a white and grainy paste with exceptional thermal properties. These materials have the capacity to modify their temperature by more than 50 degrees under pressurewhich opens the way to greenhouse gas -free applications. Unlike usual gases, these refrigerants have no risk of leakage, thus considerably reducing emissions related to air conditioning. Xavier Moya, professor of material physics, stresses that these solids are also potentially more energy -efficient.
The operating principle is based on the barocaloric effect. Plastic crystals composing these materials have molecules which, under pressure, block and dissipate from heat. By relaxing them, the temperature drops significantly. This innovation offers an attractive alternative to the 2 billion air conditioners in the world, whose environmental footprint continues to grow.
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A booming market
With the increase in global temperatures, demand in air conditioning is doomed to grow exponentially by 2050. Solid refrigerants offer a potential solution to meet this growing demand while reducing environmental impact. Cliff Elwell, professor at UCL University in London, believes that these solids could surpass traditional gases in terms of efficiency. However, to be adopted, this technology will have to meet strict criteria, such as the size and sound level of the devices.
In addition to his research, Xavier Moya founded Barocal, a startup aimed at marketing this technology. Although for the moment, the prototype air conditioner is not an example of miniaturization, Barocal plans to optimize its products to make them quieter and compact, while promising increased energy efficiency.
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The challenges of marketing
The path to the marketing of these solid refrigerants is dotted with challenges. Barocal, although still young, managed to raise 4 million euros thanks to funding from the EU and Breakthrough Energy, founded by Bill Gates. The startup plans to increase its workforce and improve its prototypes To make them competitive in the face of traditional air conditioning systems.
The first product marketed by Barocal should target companies, with cooling units for supermarkets, warehouses and data centers. These structures are more inclined to adopt a technology initially more expensive but allowing to save long -term. Barocal then hopes to offer prices comparable to current systems to attract individuals.
Future prospects for the refrigerant market
The solid refrigerants of Cambridge are not only a technological promise, but also a response to the environmental challenges posed by air conditioning. With a potential reduction in emissions of up to 75 % compared to traditional systemsAccording to Breakthrough Energy, these materials could transform the refrigeration market.
While Barocal continues to refine its prototypes, the future of air conditioning could well take shape from these innovations. The questions remain open to the speed with which this technology can be adopted on a large scale and on its real impact on our consumption methods. What will be the next step for Barocal and solid refrigerants in their quest for sustainability and energy efficiency?
The author relied on artificial intelligence to enrich this article.
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