Descripción del proyecto
Aprovechar el efecto electrocalórico para lograr una refrigeración más eficaz
La refrigeración es una parte integral de todo proceso industrial, dado que el calor generado por los equipos puede afectar negativamente al rendimiento y la producción. Los métodos de refrigeración industrial actuales presentan desventajas importantes, como sus elevados costes, su escasa eficacia y su impacto ambiental. Los métodos de refrigeración basados en el efecto electrocalórico (EC), mediante el cual un material muestra un cambio de temperatura reversible ante la aplicación de un campo eléctrico, son una alternativa prometedora. El equipo del proyecto ElectroCool, financiado por las Acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, pretende eliminar los obstáculos asociados a la refrigeración por EC, como la baja temperatura, la poca resistencia a la fatiga y la alta tensión aplicada. El objetivo es obtener el primer dispositivo EC regenerativo con una alta temperatura y una gran resistencia a la fatiga, que ofrezca una solución de refrigeración eficiente y respetuosa con el medio ambiente.
Objetivo
Cooling accounts for 17 % of total global electricity consumption. Vapor compression cooling dominated the markets, which
uses refrigerants that can leak to the environment and exhibits low efficiency. By contrast, cooling based on an electric-field
driven change in temperature of certain materials, i.e. the electrocaloric (EC) effect, promises an environmentally-friendly
technology with high efficiency. However, three key obstacles have prevented EC cooling from becoming commercially
relevant: small temperature span, low fatigue life, and high applied voltage.
This project has an ambitious goal of gaining insight into a regenerative EC cooler, which will enable the design and
fabrication of the first regenerative EC device exhibiting a large temperature span with long fatigue life. Performance targets
include a temperature span of 20 K, a fatigue life of 10000 cycles, and a low applied voltage. The research is organized into
three work packages: (1) advanced material characterization, (2) high-fidelity system modelling, and (3) demonstration of a
high-performance demonstrator. To achieve this challenging goal, a strong collaboration will take place between three
leading institutions, i.e. the Technical University of Denmark, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Barcelona.
The applicant is currently at forefront of international advances in developing regenerative cooling technologies, with
internationally recognized awards, 24 peer-reviewed publications, and 11 innovation patents.
The project will demonstrate a new concept of a robust, high performance electrocaloric cooler, which is expected to
transform the current cooling technology to the new one that is environmentally friendly and efficient. A timely award of the
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship will provide the applicant the necessary resources and access to expertise to make
rapid progress in this emerging research area and become an independent researcher, ready to compete globally.
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinador
2800 Kongens Lyngby
Dinamarca