Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CO-COOL (Collaborative development of renewable/thermally driven and storage-integrated cooling technologies)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-10-01 do 2024-09-30
1.Problem:
Cooling is the fastest-growing use of energy in buildings but is also one of the most critical blind spots in today’s energy debate. Rising demand for space cooling is putting enormous strain on electricity systems in many countries, as well as driving up emissions.However current technologies often face limitations in cost, scalability, and efficiency. Accordingly, the targets are only achievable with fast development and deployment of new efficient and effective cooling technologies driven by either ‘renewable electricity/heat’ or waste heat.
2.Important for Society:
Energy storage is a cornerstone of the transition to sustainable energy systems, ensuring stability and reliability in grids dominated by intermittent renewable sources such as solar and wind power. Comparing to heat, power, and transport, cooling had long been under-represented in the EU energy policy until 2016 when the European Commission took the first step with the launch of its Heating and Cooling Strategy. The strategy identifies actions of ‘increasing the share of renewables’ and ‘reuse of energy waste from industry’ as two key areas for decarbonizing cooling to meet the EU’s climate goals by 2050.By leveraging advance cooling storage technology, society can achieve greater energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and optimize renewable energy integration. Facilitating cross-border cooperation accelerates innovation and ensures equitable access to cutting-edge technologies, addressing global challenges of climate change and energy security.
3.Overall objectives:
This CO-COOL RISE project assembles an international, interdisciplinary consortium from 12 research institutions and 5 industrial companies to collectively accelerate the cooling technology development and deployment, with complementary expertise/skills including composite solids, phase change materials (PCMs), complex fluids, process intensification (heat and mass transfer), cold thermal storage, refrigeration systems, as well as techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA), marketing analysis, and entrepreneurship skills. Promote cooperation among EU member states and partner countries through the regular secondment of researchers, creating a vibrant network of experts in advance cooling energy storage. Based on the innovation of composite solids (sorbents/PCMs) and fluids (PCMs and hydrate slurries) as well as related components and systems, the project aims to develop renewable/recoverable energy driven, storage-integrated cooling technologies which could offer energy resource-efficient and cost-effective solutions to meet end-users’ low carbon cooling demand. Besides, the CO-COOL Rise project bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application by engaging stakeholders from both sectors, paving the way for commercialization.
Cooling is the fastest-growing use of energy in buildings but is also one of the most critical blind spots in today’s energy debate. Rising demand for space cooling is putting enormous strain on electricity systems in many countries, as well as driving up emissions.However current technologies often face limitations in cost, scalability, and efficiency. Accordingly, the targets are only achievable with fast development and deployment of new efficient and effective cooling technologies driven by either ‘renewable electricity/heat’ or waste heat.
2.Important for Society:
Energy storage is a cornerstone of the transition to sustainable energy systems, ensuring stability and reliability in grids dominated by intermittent renewable sources such as solar and wind power. Comparing to heat, power, and transport, cooling had long been under-represented in the EU energy policy until 2016 when the European Commission took the first step with the launch of its Heating and Cooling Strategy. The strategy identifies actions of ‘increasing the share of renewables’ and ‘reuse of energy waste from industry’ as two key areas for decarbonizing cooling to meet the EU’s climate goals by 2050.By leveraging advance cooling storage technology, society can achieve greater energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and optimize renewable energy integration. Facilitating cross-border cooperation accelerates innovation and ensures equitable access to cutting-edge technologies, addressing global challenges of climate change and energy security.
3.Overall objectives:
This CO-COOL RISE project assembles an international, interdisciplinary consortium from 12 research institutions and 5 industrial companies to collectively accelerate the cooling technology development and deployment, with complementary expertise/skills including composite solids, phase change materials (PCMs), complex fluids, process intensification (heat and mass transfer), cold thermal storage, refrigeration systems, as well as techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA), marketing analysis, and entrepreneurship skills. Promote cooperation among EU member states and partner countries through the regular secondment of researchers, creating a vibrant network of experts in advance cooling energy storage. Based on the innovation of composite solids (sorbents/PCMs) and fluids (PCMs and hydrate slurries) as well as related components and systems, the project aims to develop renewable/recoverable energy driven, storage-integrated cooling technologies which could offer energy resource-efficient and cost-effective solutions to meet end-users’ low carbon cooling demand. Besides, the CO-COOL Rise project bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application by engaging stakeholders from both sectors, paving the way for commercialization.
1.The research conducted by CNR ITAE under WP2 focused on developing scalable composite sorbents with sorption capacities of 0.8–1.2 g/g and enhanced sorption rates compared to conventional adsorbents. Key steps included selecting suitable porous matrices (vermiculite and silica gel) and salts, balancing properties such as hygroscopicity, stability, and cost. Thermal and adsorption properties were analyzed using advanced techniques, revealing critical issues like deliquescence and salt leakage, which can affect performance. Experimental results showed that vermiculite and silica gel composites exhibited distinct sorption behaviors, influenced by factors like nanoconfinement and pore size. Among tested materials, 45LiCl-V (vermiculite-based) and 25CaCl-SG (silica gel-based) were identified as the most stable, avoiding deliquescence under experimental conditions.
2.The research by UoB and GIEC-CAS focuses on WP3, involving the development of an ice slurry phase change system for efficient thermal and cold energy transport in air conditioning systems. This system uses supercooled water to improve flow characteristics and heat transfer. It comprises two cycles: a refrigerant cycle (with components like an evaporator and compressor) and a water circulation cycle (including a pump, ultrasonic crystallizer, and storage tank). The COP rises with increased supercooling (0.8°C to 3.2°C) but decreases slightly beyond 4°C due to ice blockage. The optimal range for supercooling is 2-3°C, achieving 96% of the maximum COP.
3.The UoB, UoG, and GIEC-CAS are collaborating on WP4 to study the formation and cold storage characteristics of carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrate under various gas-to-water (G-W) ratios, pressures, and system configurations. The key findings include:Cooling lowers reactant temperatures, increasing CO2 dissolution and hydrate formation, accompanied by a rise in temperature and a pressure drop. Besides, higher initial pressures and greater water volumes reduce induction times and enhance hydrate conversion rates by promoting molecular interactions and phase transitions.Dynamic mode produces up to 2.3 times more hydrate than static mode but does not always achieve higher cold storage capacity. For example, at a G-W ratio of 4:1, static mode stored 217.3 kJ compared to 160 kJ in dynamic mode, due to lower temperatures enhancing energy retention in static mode.
4.This WP5 will be led by UoG firstly develop steady thermodynamic models based on a lumped-parameter model in Matlab, by neglecting the pressure and heat losses along the pipes. Then UoG develop process system models in Matlab-gPROMS coupled environment containing design information (e.g. configuration of the sorption reactors and/or heat exchangers) and operation conditions (e.g. ambient condition and users’ demands, operating pressure, temperature, mass flow rate, etc.)
5.The WP6 collaboration between GEIRI and UoB focuses on the life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) of heating systems, emphasizing sustainability and efficiency.The LCA, conducted using a gate-to-gate approach, compared three heating systems: Conventional Heat Pump (HP), Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP), and Phase Change Material Heat Pump (PCMHP).LCOH was reduced by 11.5% in WSHP and 5.5% in PCMHP compared to Conventional HP. WSHP had the highest impacts in 13 categories due to additional storage tank energy use, despite sharing electricity consumption with Conventional HP. PCMHP reduced energy consumption by 28.5% and carbon emissions by 22% compared to Conventional HP.
2.The research by UoB and GIEC-CAS focuses on WP3, involving the development of an ice slurry phase change system for efficient thermal and cold energy transport in air conditioning systems. This system uses supercooled water to improve flow characteristics and heat transfer. It comprises two cycles: a refrigerant cycle (with components like an evaporator and compressor) and a water circulation cycle (including a pump, ultrasonic crystallizer, and storage tank). The COP rises with increased supercooling (0.8°C to 3.2°C) but decreases slightly beyond 4°C due to ice blockage. The optimal range for supercooling is 2-3°C, achieving 96% of the maximum COP.
3.The UoB, UoG, and GIEC-CAS are collaborating on WP4 to study the formation and cold storage characteristics of carbon dioxide (CO2) hydrate under various gas-to-water (G-W) ratios, pressures, and system configurations. The key findings include:Cooling lowers reactant temperatures, increasing CO2 dissolution and hydrate formation, accompanied by a rise in temperature and a pressure drop. Besides, higher initial pressures and greater water volumes reduce induction times and enhance hydrate conversion rates by promoting molecular interactions and phase transitions.Dynamic mode produces up to 2.3 times more hydrate than static mode but does not always achieve higher cold storage capacity. For example, at a G-W ratio of 4:1, static mode stored 217.3 kJ compared to 160 kJ in dynamic mode, due to lower temperatures enhancing energy retention in static mode.
4.This WP5 will be led by UoG firstly develop steady thermodynamic models based on a lumped-parameter model in Matlab, by neglecting the pressure and heat losses along the pipes. Then UoG develop process system models in Matlab-gPROMS coupled environment containing design information (e.g. configuration of the sorption reactors and/or heat exchangers) and operation conditions (e.g. ambient condition and users’ demands, operating pressure, temperature, mass flow rate, etc.)
5.The WP6 collaboration between GEIRI and UoB focuses on the life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis (TEA) of heating systems, emphasizing sustainability and efficiency.The LCA, conducted using a gate-to-gate approach, compared three heating systems: Conventional Heat Pump (HP), Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP), and Phase Change Material Heat Pump (PCMHP).LCOH was reduced by 11.5% in WSHP and 5.5% in PCMHP compared to Conventional HP. WSHP had the highest impacts in 13 categories due to additional storage tank energy use, despite sharing electricity consumption with Conventional HP. PCMHP reduced energy consumption by 28.5% and carbon emissions by 22% compared to Conventional HP.
1. We have developed a novel metal ion coordination organic (MCO) adsorbent.The adsorbent's absorbency reaches 2.5 g/g, with an energy density of 5000 J/g—significantly exceeding the water absorption capacity of traditional pure hydrated salts. Additionally, the novel MCO adsorbent exhibits structural stability, maintaining a stable internal structure and consistent water absorption for over 20 cycles.
2.The Mesoporous Silica Gel with LiCl sorbent represent the best compromise between technological issues for large production and the goals of the project, that are a sorption capacity higher than 0.8 g/g (adsorbate/sorbent) and a higher sorption rate than the traditional sorbents (silica gels or zeolites).
3.UDL used AI to enhance the design of heat and mass transfer during the reaction of phase change materials and carbon dioxide hydrates. The AI model can learne the behaviour of the reservoir optimally and effectively improve the iteration and analysis of the system heat transfer process.
2.The Mesoporous Silica Gel with LiCl sorbent represent the best compromise between technological issues for large production and the goals of the project, that are a sorption capacity higher than 0.8 g/g (adsorbate/sorbent) and a higher sorption rate than the traditional sorbents (silica gels or zeolites).
3.UDL used AI to enhance the design of heat and mass transfer during the reaction of phase change materials and carbon dioxide hydrates. The AI model can learne the behaviour of the reservoir optimally and effectively improve the iteration and analysis of the system heat transfer process.