Sorption Heat Transformer Test Station

供暖和制冷系统直接和间接地占全球总能耗的30%。预计到2070年，建筑面积和空间冷却需求都将翻一番。向全电供暖的过渡将压倒现有的电网容量，特别是考虑到运输部门的快速电气化。此外，随着更大比例的间歇性可再生能源被整合到能源电网中，与需求的不匹配增加了对适合几分钟到几周时间尺度的具有成本效益的热储存的需求，从而产生了对新的加热、冷却和热储存技术的需求。吸收式热变压器是新兴的、灵活的系统，适用于热泵、空调和蓄热技术，能够全年使用低品位的热量提供可再生的加热/冷却。它们具有较高的能量储存密度，能够长期储存能量，对周围环境的损失最小。它们提供了大规模（多余）电力转换为热/冷（和存储）的潜力，而不需要稀土矿物或对环境有害的材料。然而，热变压器仍处于概念阶段，需要采用整体方法来提高其效率（3倍）、可靠性和市场可行性成本。设备要求定制建造一个吸收式热变压器试验站，以评估在实际条件下运行的可持续冷却、加热和蓄热的原型系统。即将测试的原型将使用涂覆在自然热交换器上的新型吸附复合材料，该热交换器经过优化，可以增强传热和传质，产生更高的加热/冷却速率和能量存储密度。测试站可以测量系统的整体性能（即加热和冷却的比功率、性能系数和储能密度），并研究在吸附/再生的湿热应力下出现的实际问题，包括循环稳定性、复合涂层的附着力、耐久性、热交换器的耐腐蚀性以及污垢对热交换器表面的影响。这些都是这项新兴技术面临的主要挑战。对于申请者100多个HQP的研究和培训项目，这个定制的试验台是绝对必要的。其中包括最近授予的NSERC CREATE混合热电微电网项目，以及将可持续能源资源整合到区域能源网络的国际合作，开发用于经济实惠的建筑物供暖和制冷的吸收式热泵，以及开发用于可持续制冷的材料。拟议中的吸收式热变压器试验站将为清洁能源转换、建筑、温室和运输部门的世界领先发展创造研究和培训机会。

Heating and cooling systems account, directly and indirectly, for 30% of the total energy consumed around the world. Building floor area and space cooling demand are both projected to double by 2070. The transition to fully electric heating would overwhelm the existing grid capacity, especially considering the fast-paced electrification of the transport sector. Furthermore, as a greater proportion of intermittent renewable energy sources are integrated into energy grids, the mismatch with demand increases the need for cost-effective thermal storage suitable for time scales of minutes to weeks creating demand for new heating, cooling and thermal storage technologies. Sorption heat transformers are emerging, flexible systems suitable for heat pumping, air conditioning, and thermal storage technology capable of providing renewable heating/cooling year-round using low-grade heat. They have high energy storage density and are capable of long-term energy storage with minimal loss to the ambient environment. They offer the potential for large-scale (excess) electricity conversion to heat/cold (and storage) with no need for rare-earth minerals or environmentally harmful materials. Nevertheless, heat transformers are still at a concept stage and a holistic approach is required to improve their efficiency (3-fold), reliability, and cost for market viability. Equipment is requested to custom-build a Sorption Heat Transformer Test Station to evaluate prototype systems for sustainable cooling, heating and thermal storage operated under real conditions. The to-be-tested prototypes will use new sorbent composites coated on nature-inspired heat exchangers optimized to enhance heat and mass transfer, generating higher heating/cooling rates and energy storage densities. The test station enables measuring overall system performance (namely, the specific power for heating and cooling, the coefficient of performance, and energy storage density) and investigating practical issues that arise under the hygrothermal stress of sorption/regeneration, including cycling stability, adhesion of composite coatings, durability, corrosion resistance of heat exchangers, and the effect of fouling on heat exchangers surfaces, which are key challenges facing this emerging technology. This custom-build test station will be absolutely necessary to the applicants' research and training programs of more than 100 HQP. These include the recently awarded NSERC CREATE Hybrid Thermal Electric Microgrid program, as well as international collaborations on the integration of sustainable energy resources into district energy networks, development of sorption heat pumps for affordable heating and cooling of buildings, and development of materials for sustainable cooling. The proposed Sorption Heat Transformer Test Station will create research and training opportunities for world leading developments with impact in clean energy conversion, buildings, greenhouses, and transport sectors.