A US-based startup called Pascal is working on a new cooling technology that uses carbon dioxide and a solid material instead of the liquid chemicals used in most air conditioners and refrigerators today.
The company says its technology could make cooling systems easier to maintain and more energy-efficient, according to Forbes.
How does the technology work?
Air conditioners and refrigerators use special chemicals called refrigerants to remove heat from a room or a storage space. These chemicals help keep the surroundings cool.
Some refrigerants can harm the environment if they leak. They can also be expensive to replace. Pascal wants to change this with a solid material that can absorb carbon dioxide gas. Some older refrigerants, including R22, were phased out because they damaged the Earth's ozone layer.
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Here's how it works
Carbon dioxide gas is pumped into a special solid material under pressure. The material heats up, and the system releases that heat outside.
When the process is reversed, the material cools down and absorbs heat from the surrounding air.
This process helps cool the room or space, much like a conventional air conditioner. "We're operating at pretty reasonable pressures that are already used in the HVAC industry. We can use standard off-the-shelf compressors and parts," according to Pascal co-founder Adam Slavney.
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Why is carbon dioxide being used?
Carbon dioxide is easily available and can be bought in tanks. According to Slavney, people do not need a special licence to buy carbon dioxide, unlike certain refrigerants that require specific handling permissions.
The gas can also be replaced when it leaks out of the system over time. "You need a license to handle refrigerants, but anybody can go buy a tank of carbon dioxide," Slavney added.
The company aims to make its cooling systems about 20% more energy-efficient than existing systems. If it achieves this, the technology could help reduce electricity bills.
The startup announced that it had secured $9.3 million in investments and grants to begin selling its first refrigerators to an initial customer.
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