The limited capacity of electric batteries combined with the substantial amount of energy needed to run auxiliary equipment dramatically affects the range capability of electric vehicles. For instance, the climate control system in Summer conditions can absorb up to 60% of the available energy.
XERIC’s aim was to develop an energy-friendly climate-control system for electric vehicles capable to reduce by more than 50% the energy used for passenger comfort all over the year.
Currently air is dehumidified and cooled by using climate control systems based on the traditional vapour compression cycle, which cools air below its dew point.
Alternatively, solid or liquid desiccants are used as an energy efficient way to dehumidify air without cooling it below its dew point, which allows to control temperature and humidity independently. However, current desiccant systems cannot be used in vehicles.
In XERIC we have worked to exploit technologically the properties of aqueous solutions of desiccants housed in a novel three-fluids-combined-membrane-contactor (3F-CMC) that simultaneously works with air, desiccant solution, and refrigerant. The idea is to develop a hybrid system in which air can be dehumidified without the need to be cooled below its dew-point; therefore, the overall system efficiency increases.
The objective was to develop an industrially viable hybrid climate control system for electric vehicles able to guarantee comfort to passengers and to reduce by more than 50% the energy used.
The following activities have been developed:
• integrate a liquid desiccant cycle housed in a 3F-CMC with a vapour compression cycle;
• devise a new customized membrane to optimize the performance of the 3F-CMC;
• devise an electronic control system to improve efficiency of climate control system’s compressor;
• manufacture a small-scale prototype capable of processing 100 m3/h of external air (i.e. about 30% of the typical air flow rate through the passengers’ cabin);
• evaluate the environmental impact of the climate control system as part of life cycle analysis and life cycle cost analysis assessments.
XERIC’s partners are:
1. GVS SPA (GVS), IT
2. TECNOLOGIE INNOVATIVE PER IL CONTROLLO AMBIENTALE E LO SVILUPPO SOSTENIBILE S.c.r.l. (TICASS), IT
3. UNIVERSITY OF GENOA (UNIGE), IT - acting as 3rd partner of TICASS
4. FRAUNHOFER ITWM (ITWM), DE
5. EUROPEAN MEMBRANE HOUSE (EMH), BE
6. FRIGOMAR (FRIGOMAR), IT
7. UNIVERSITÄT DUISBURG-ESSEN (UDE), DE
8. VITO (VITO), BE
9. ASOCIACIÓN DE LA INDUSTRIA NAVARRA (AIN), ES
