Researchers at Warwick University have devised a way to miniaturise adsorption technology, paving the way for carbon to become a key material in low-energy heating and air conditioning systems.
Domestic space heating and hot water account for 25 per cent of energy consumption in the UK, while across the EU, car air conditioning sucks up about 5 per cent of the vehicle fuel consumed annually.
It has long been understood that adsorption is an energy-efficient way to drive heat pumps and air conditioners. The technology involves using heat from a gas flame or waste heat from a car engine, to power a closed system containing active carbon and a refrigerant. When the carbon is at room temperature it adsorbs the refrigerant and when heated the refrigerant is driven out.
But until now adsorption devices were too big to be useful, at around 300 litres in volume for a car air conditioner for example.
The Warwick researchers devised a new arrangement in which thin sheets of metal each containing more than a hundred tiny water channels are distributed throughout the carbon, making for more efficient heat transfer.
This makes it possible to make adsorption-based equipment that is up to 20 times smaller than was previously possible. The researchers claim it will be possible to build domestic heat pumps that use 30 per cent less fuel, while both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions will be cut by nearly 5 per cent when the technology is applied to car air conditioning.
A new company, Sorption Energy Ltd, has been spun out to commercialise the technology.