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Pumping into a cool future: electrocaloric materials for zero-carbon refrigeration

Pumping into a cool future: electrocaloric materials for zero-carbon refrigeration Front. Energy. 2022, 16(1): 19–22 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-022-0820-1 VIEWPOINT Xiaoshi QIAN Pumping into a cool future: electrocaloric materials for zero-carbon refrigeration © Higher Education Press 2022 Existing commercial heat pumps, such as air conditioners By 2050, considering the improvement in living stand- (A/C) and refrigerators, possess a coefficient of perfo- ards in developing countries and the climate shift, this rmance (COP) up to and in some cases even higher than share is projected to be quadrupled, i.e., 60%. With the 6. However, most existing space heating techniques rely stated policies scenario (STEPS), the IEA expected that heavily on fossil fuels as their direct (burning) or secon- the electricity consumption for cooling to be more than dary (electric heating) energy supply. Space heating is doubled by 2060. Therefore, the technical advances in responsible for 45% of building emissions. In particular, refrigeration have been ranked first in the drawdown of approximately 4.3 Gt of CO  was released into the atmo- CO  emissions [3]. sphere in 2019 for heating building spaces, representing A major factor affecting the building energy cost is the approximately 12% of global energy and process-related operating temperature range or the “neutral-band”, which CO  emissions, according to the most recent International is the temperature range in which the centralized HVAC Energy Agency (IEA) estimation [1]. With its inherited systems require no heating or cooling. In a building with advantages in energy efficiency, heat pump technology central  A/C  system,  the  neutral  band  is  usually  set has  considerable  potential  in  the  building  sector, between 21 °C and 24 °C, which is tighter than the ANSI/ especially  for  space  heating.  Currently,  most  of  the ASHRAE  standards.  To  meet  the  sustainable  develo- purchased heat pump units are applied for space cooling. pment scenario, the society calls for disruptive innova- In 2019, space cooling consumed 15% of the energy used tions  in  heat  pump  technologies,  which  should  be for  space  heating,  which  is  close  to  1  Gt  CO   as  an scalable, customizable, exhibit no direct and indirect CO indirect input in global carbon footprint [1]. Meanwhile, the direct equivalent CO  emissions cannot be ignored, as emissions, capable of being operated for a considerable most heat pumps in the market still utilize hydrochloro- time,  low  noise,  and  economical.  However,  currently fluorocarbons  (HCFCs)  that  possess  a  high  global commercialized  technologies  were  not  equipped  with warming potential (GWP) [2]. above advantages to answer the urgent call. The  carbon  emission  for  space  cooling  is  far  from In several alternative heat pump technologies currently reaching its peak. Recently, there has been a surge in under development, electrocaloric (EC) refrigeration may electricity use in several major cities that are experien- be integrated in as one of the solutions to ease the urge. cing heatwaves more frequently than in previous decades, Electrocaloric  effect  (ECE)  links  two  dipolar  entropy indicating a continuous climate shift, hence causing more states  by  applying  and  removing  electric  fields  to A/C-induced  CO   emissions  in  the  coming  years.  In 2 condensed matter (see Fig. 2). The phenomenon of the addition, the IEA assessed that approximately 35% of the ECE  was  first  discovered  in  1930  [4].  However,  the global population lives in areas with a high number of cooling effect discovered then was too weak. Hence, it cooling  degree-days  (a  metric  that  depicts  the  cooling was considered impractical compared to the conversed needs), only 15% own an air conditioner (see Fig. 1). physical  effect  of  pyroelectrics.  In  this http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Frontiers in Energy Springer Journals

Pumping into a cool future: electrocaloric materials for zero-carbon refrigeration

Frontiers in Energy , Volume 16 (1) – Feb 1, 2022

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Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © Higher Education Press 2022
ISSN
2095-1701
eISSN
2095-1698
DOI
10.1007/s11708-022-0820-1
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Abstract

Front. Energy. 2022, 16(1): 19–22 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-022-0820-1 VIEWPOINT Xiaoshi QIAN Pumping into a cool future: electrocaloric materials for zero-carbon refrigeration © Higher Education Press 2022 Existing commercial heat pumps, such as air conditioners By 2050, considering the improvement in living stand- (A/C) and refrigerators, possess a coefficient of perfo- ards in developing countries and the climate shift, this rmance (COP) up to and in some cases even higher than share is projected to be quadrupled, i.e., 60%. With the 6. However, most existing space heating techniques rely stated policies scenario (STEPS), the IEA expected that heavily on fossil fuels as their direct (burning) or secon- the electricity consumption for cooling to be more than dary (electric heating) energy supply. Space heating is doubled by 2060. Therefore, the technical advances in responsible for 45% of building emissions. In particular, refrigeration have been ranked first in the drawdown of approximately 4.3 Gt of CO  was released into the atmo- CO  emissions [3]. sphere in 2019 for heating building spaces, representing A major factor affecting the building energy cost is the approximately 12% of global energy and process-related operating temperature range or the “neutral-band”, which CO  emissions, according to the most recent International is the temperature range in which the centralized HVAC Energy Agency (IEA) estimation [1]. With its inherited systems require no heating or cooling. In a building with advantages in energy efficiency, heat pump technology central  A/C  system,  the  neutral  band  is  usually  set has  considerable  potential  in  the  building  sector, between 21 °C and 24 °C, which is tighter than the ANSI/ especially  for  space  heating.  Currently,  most  of  the ASHRAE  standards.  To  meet  the  sustainable  develo- purchased heat pump units are applied for space cooling. pment scenario, the society calls for disruptive innova- In 2019, space cooling consumed 15% of the energy used tions  in  heat  pump  technologies,  which  should  be for  space  heating,  which  is  close  to  1  Gt  CO   as  an scalable, customizable, exhibit no direct and indirect CO indirect input in global carbon footprint [1]. Meanwhile, the direct equivalent CO  emissions cannot be ignored, as emissions, capable of being operated for a considerable most heat pumps in the market still utilize hydrochloro- time,  low  noise,  and  economical.  However,  currently fluorocarbons  (HCFCs)  that  possess  a  high  global commercialized  technologies  were  not  equipped  with warming potential (GWP) [2]. above advantages to answer the urgent call. The  carbon  emission  for  space  cooling  is  far  from In several alternative heat pump technologies currently reaching its peak. Recently, there has been a surge in under development, electrocaloric (EC) refrigeration may electricity use in several major cities that are experien- be integrated in as one of the solutions to ease the urge. cing heatwaves more frequently than in previous decades, Electrocaloric  effect  (ECE)  links  two  dipolar  entropy indicating a continuous climate shift, hence causing more states  by  applying  and  removing  electric  fields  to A/C-induced  CO   emissions  in  the  coming  years.  In 2 condensed matter (see Fig. 2). The phenomenon of the addition, the IEA assessed that approximately 35% of the ECE  was  first  discovered  in  1930  [4].  However,  the global population lives in areas with a high number of cooling effect discovered then was too weak. Hence, it cooling  degree-days  (a  metric  that  depicts  the  cooling was considered impractical compared to the conversed needs), only 15% own an air conditioner (see Fig. 1). physical  effect  of  pyroelectrics.  In  this

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Published: Feb 1, 2022

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