A Pioneering, Near-Zero-Carbon and All-Climate-Adaptive Air Conditioning System Using Atmospheric Latent Heat and Natural Light Energy

空调（AC）是全球应用的主要能源系统之一，每年的市场规模约为800亿英镑。目前的AC技术需要大量的电能或热能，占全球电力消耗的20%，并导致1，100兆吨的碳排放。该项目旨在为开创性的、近零碳和全气候适应性空调系统奠定科学基础。与现有的空调技术（即机械蒸汽压缩，吸收和吸附类型）相比，新的空调系统可节省超过80%-90%的能源费用，并接近零碳排放。与现有的蒸发冷却空调系统，只适合干旱气候，新的空调将是所有气候适应。这项研究的创新之处在于：（1）将确定和/或改进性能最好的吸附、扩散、气密和吸光材料;（2）将开发一种独特的吸附/解吸床，包括一个气流相互作用的吸附层和一个吸光解吸层;（3）一种定制的自然光收集配置，以将受控的光辐射输送到解吸层表面;（4）首次尝试用多个介质/尺寸多孔块体代替传统的单个介质/尺寸多孔块体的最新分形理论：（5）独特的多尺度光模拟模型，结合了模拟宏观尺度光的非顺序光线追踪方法和模拟多孔脱附表面光湿相互作用的时域有限差分方法;（6）一种新的“生命周期-冷却-成本”导向的优化方法。该项目的研究计划包括：（1）吸附/解吸材料的筛选、改进、表征和选择，以及确定所选材料的组成/组合方法;（2）建立了光的收集/传输/分配和光的传输的理论基础。（3）建立了多孔吸湿床内水分吸附、渗透、扩散和蒸发的理论基础和计算机模型，优化了多孔吸湿床的结构;（4）以“生命周期冷却成本”为导向的方法，优化光驱动“吸湿”床和露点空气冷却器之间的整合操作;以及研究空调的建筑整合方法;以及（5）建造/测试空调原型（包括微生物危害控制）和验证/改进整合的空调计算机模型。拟议的研究将由一个跨大学和多学科的团队进行，该团队包括UHMWT的赵旭东教授，他是加热，冷却，可再生能源和能源效率方面的世界级学者，Bath的Semali Perera教授，他是多孔吸附/解吸材料方面的领先科学家，巴里克里滕登教授是皇家工程院院士，专门研究吸附和膜，卡梅洛赫尔德斯博士是专门研究分子模拟，实验和吸附/解吸材料的表征以及与工业相关的分子传输，国际公认的光学科学家，UHFAN的布拉德吉尔邦教授，UHFAN的Jeanette Rotterdam教授，环境生物学领域的领先科学家，在可再生能源和露点冷却方面拥有专业知识的UHV的马晓丽博士，以及专注于将可再生能源系统整合到建筑物中的UHV的朱子尚博士。该项目团队将得到五个英国工业/政府组织的支持。

Air conditioning (AC) is one of the major energy systems applied globally with a market size of around £80 billion per annum. Current AC technologies require large amounts of electrical or thermal energy, accounting for 20% global electricity consumption and resulting in 1,100 mega-tons of carbon emission. The project aims to establish a scientific foundation for a pioneering, near-zero-carbon and all-climate-adaptive AC system. Compared to existing AC technologies (i.e. mechanical vapour compression, absorption, and adsorption types), the new AC system leads to over 80%-90% energy bills saving, and near-zero carbon emission. Unlike existing evaporative cooling AC systems which only suit arid climates, the new AC will be all-climate-adaptive. Novelties of the research lie in: (1) The best performing sorption, diffusion, air-tight and light-absorptive materials will be identified and/or refined; (2) A unique sorption/desorption bed comprising an air-flow-interactive sorption layer and a light-absorptive desorption layer will be developed; (3) A bespoke natural light harvesting configuration to deliver a controlled light radiation into the desorption layer surface; (4) The latest Fractal theory in the first attempt to a multi-medium/sized porous block instead of the traditional single medium/sized porous block; (5) A unique multiple-scale light simulation model, which integrate a non-sequential ray tracing method for simulating the macro-scale light and a finite-difference time-domain method for simulating the light-moisture interaction on the porous desorption surface; (6) A novel 'life-cycle-cooling-cost' oriented optimisation method.The project research programme includes: (1) Screening, refinement, characterisation and selection of the sorption/desorption materials, and determination of the composition/combination methods of the selected materials; (2) Establishment of the theoretical foundation for the light collection/transmission/distribution and light-moisture interaction and conduction of associated computer simulation modelling; (3) Establishment of the theoretical foundation and computer models for moisture adsorption, permeation, diffusion and vaporisation within the porous 'moisture-breathing' bed, and optimisation of the structure of the 'moisture-breathing' bed; (4) Optimisation of the integrated operation between the light-driven 'moisture-breathing' bed and dew point air cooler using the 'life-cycle-cooling-cost' oriented method; and investigation of the AC's building integration approach; and (5) Construction/testing of the AC prototype (including microbial hazard control) and validation/refinement of the integrated AC computer model. The proposed research will be carried out by a cross-university and multi-disciplinary team comprising Prof. Xudong Zhao of UHULL who is the world-class academic specialised in heating, cooling, renewable energy and energy efficiency, Prof. Semali Perera of Bath who is a leading scientist specialised in porous sorption/desorption materials, Prof. Barry Crittenden who is a Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering specialising in adsorption and membranes, Dr Carmelo Herdes who is specialized in molecular simulations, experiments and characterization of sorption/desorption materials and molecular transport with industrial relevance, Prof. Brad Gilbon of UHULL who is an internationally recognised optical scientist, Prof. Jeanette Rotchell of UHULL who is a leading scientist specialised in environmental biology, Dr. Xiaoli Ma of UHULL who has expertise in renewable energy and dew point cooling, and Dr. Zishang Zhu of UHULL who is specialised in integrating renewable energy system into buildings. The project team will be supported by FIVE UK industrial/governmental organisations.