Feasibility of using barocaloric cooling for energy efficiency gains and zero greenhouse warming impact in commercial food and drink refrigeration

制冷和空调系统占全球能源使用量的17%。该项目旨在评估开发一种创新的压热冷却系统的可行性。该系统比替代的低温室升温潜能值（GWP）碳氢化合物制冷剂更有效，从而显著降低运营成本和温室气体的间接排放。压热冷却发生在固体在压力下吸收热量时。该项目将促进开发使用有机压热材料的原型冷却系统，并允许评估开发零温室升温潜能值技术的可行性，同时达到或超过碳氢化合物低全球升温潜能值制冷循环的效率。该项目的主要重点将是在瓶装冷却和食品展示装置等轻型商业制冷应用中使用压热冷却。然而，该项目也有潜在的适用性，更广泛的制冷应用，如食品冷冻机，制冰机，工业冷却，制药制冷，空调和科学冷却器。（有机压热材料的发明者），关于Barocal Ltd（开发商和制造商的压热冷却系统）。它将被告知最终用户的要求，通过参与分包商精密制冷（商用制冷系统制造商）。

Refrigeration and air conditioning systems account for 17% of global energy usage. This project aims to assess the feasibility of developing an innovative barocaloric cooling system which is more efficient than alternative low Greenhouse Warming Potential (GWP) hydrocarbon refrigeration, leading to significant reductions in operating costs and indirect emissions of greenhouse gases.Barocaloric cooling occurs when a solid absorbs heat under the application of pressure. The project will facilitate the development of a prototype cooling system using organic barocaloric materials, and allow for an assessment of the feasibility of developing the technology with zero Greenhouse Warming Potential (GWP), while matching or exceeding the efficiency of hydrocarbon low GWP refrigeration cycles. The prime focus of the project will be in the use of barocaloric cooling for light commercial refrigeration applications such as bottle cooling and food display units. However the project also has potential applicability to wider refrigeration applications such as food freezers, ice makers, industrial cooling, pharmaceutical refrigeration, air conditioning and scientific coolers.The project is being conducted as a partnership between the University of Cambridge (inventor of organic barocaloric materials), and Barocal Ltd (developer and manufacturer of barocaloric cooling systems).It will be informed of end user requirements by involvement of subcontractor Precision Refrigeration (a manufacturer of commercial refrigeration systems).