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。目前的交流技术需要大量的电能或热能，占全球用电量的20%，导致1100万吨的碳排放。该项目旨在为一个开创性的、接近零碳的、全气候适应的空调系统奠定科学基础。与现有的交流技术（即机械蒸汽压缩，吸收和吸附类型）相比，新型交流系统可节省80%-90%以上的能源费用，并且碳排放接近于零。不像现有的蒸发冷却空调系统只适用于干旱气候，新的空调将是全气候适应。本研究的新颖之处在于：(1)将确定和/或精炼性能最好的吸附、扩散、气密和光吸收材料；(2)将开发一种独特的吸附/解吸床，包括气流相互作用的吸附层和光吸收解吸层；(3)定制的自然光采集配置，将受控的光辐射输送到脱附层表面；(4)最新分形理论首次尝试以多介质/大小的多孔块代替传统的单一介质/大小的多孔块；(5)建立了独特的多尺度光模拟模型，该模型集成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)一种面向“全生命周期冷却成本”的优化方法。项目研究计划包括：(1)吸附/解吸材料的筛选、细化、表征和选择，确定所选材料的组成/组合方法；(2)建立了集光/透射/分布和光-湿相互作用传导的相关计算机模拟建模的理论基础；(3)建立了多孔吸湿床内水分吸附、渗透、扩散和汽化的理论基础和计算机模型，优化了吸湿床的结构；(4)以“全生命周期冷却成本”为导向，对光驱吸湿床与露点空气冷却器一体化运行进行优化；AC建筑一体化方式的研究；(5) AC原型的构建/测试（包括微生物危害控制）和集成AC计算机模型的验证/改进。这项研究将由一个跨大学和多学科的团队进行，其中包括：世界一流的加热、冷却、可再生能源和能源效率学者、巴斯大学的Semali Perera教授（多孔吸附/解吸材料领域的领先科学家）、英国皇家工程院院士Barry Crittenden教授（吸附和膜领域的专家）、专门从事分子模拟、吸附/解吸材料的实验和表征以及与工业相关的分子运输的Carmelo Herdes博士、国际公认的光学科学家Brad Gilbon教授、环境生物学领域的顶尖科学家Jeanette Rotchell教授、研究可再生能源和露点冷却的马晓丽博士。以及赫尔大学的朱子尚博士，他专门研究可再生能源系统与建筑的结合。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.