Objective
Fiwihex has applied for patents for a technology to construct heat exchangers between boiling or condensing heat pump fluid to air. These heat exchangers are composed of zigzag folded mats of about .1 mm copper wires soldered on about 1 mm o copper capillaries, connected to a manifold. Heat transfer coefficients over 800 W/m2 K and cost under 10 ECU/m2 should be possible. This means a factor of 20 more cost efficient heat transfer the now available, so that optimal temperature differences are a few degrees C, instead of a few tens of degrees C. This allows heat pumps with an efficiency three times that of what is now typical, or district heating/cooling with resp. 25-30 degree C water or 10-15 degree C water. This reduces thermal exergy loss with a factor of 4, increasing fuel efficiency in case of heating with 10-15% and in case of cooling with 200%. For the design of a well defined research project to developthese heat exchangers, Fiwihex needs input:
1. from firms producing copper wire and capillary for cost structure and processing know-how to be able to optimise the production process and to obtain a cost price structure;
2. from utility companies for market and system integration knowledge to design a heat exchanger with the optimum parameters to fit into a district heating and cooling system;
3.from the building faculty of a technical university to provide the comfort parameters for designing heat exchangers for space heating or cooling;
4.from wire mesh weavers for information on the manufacturability of fine wire heat exchangers.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
EAW - Exploratory awardsCoordinator
7604 BK Almelo
Netherlands