PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

New cooling mechanism set to revolutionize conventional environmentally harmful refrigeration technologies

LIST researchers publish promising results in prestigious Science magazine

2023-11-17
(Press-News.org)

Approximately one-fifth of the world's electric energy is dedicated to refrigeration, and the International Energy Agency anticipates a twofold increase in the number of air conditioning units by 2040. Despite a century of advancements, existing refrigeration systems, relying on vapour compression, have hit their thermodynamic threshold. These systems not only emit greenhouse gases, contributing to environmental issues, but also produce significant noise. Prioritizing the development of energy-efficient and eco-friendly systems is thus paramount to address global warming and encourage the responsible utilization of natural resources.

Now, a team of researchers from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) have developed a technology with the potential to transform future refrigeration systems. Their latest research milestone, published in Science this week, details the mechanism, which focuses on using the electrocaloric effect – a phenomenon wherein a material undergoes a reversible temperature alteration when subjected to an electric field – to achieve the desired result.

In this particular case, the electrocaloric effect involves applying an electric field to ceramic capacitors, inducing temperature changes, and creating a cooling effect. “Our proposed solution involves an assembly of multilayer capacitors stacked within an electrically connected fluid-filled pipe,” explains Dr Emmanuel Defay, who leads the Nanotechnology unit within the Materials Research and Technology (MRT) department at LIST. Defay and his team have been working on electrocaloric materials for several years. “The fluid flows back and forth between the capacitors, creating a temperature gradient,” he adds.

This assembly, called a regenerator, could eventually replace the conventional compressor and the environmentally harmful fluids in current refrigerators, providing a more energy-efficient and sustainable cooling solution. Indeed, energy efficiency is another key advantage of this technology.

The potential applications of this technology extend beyond refrigeration, including air conditioning “Our research was previously detailed in an article in Science three years ago. We have achieved significant milestones since then, with our latest paper showcasing promising developments, notably regarding energy efficiency and scale-up solutions.”

Defay’s team is currently actively engaging with various companies to explore practical applications of the technology, marking an important step towards the implementation of the solution. Indicatively, the regenerator was designed in collaboration with the Japanese manufacturing company Murata.

“While we are already making tangible progress, we are continually working to enhance the maturity and practicality of our technology. The ultimate goal is to offer a viable and sustainable alternative to current refrigeration solutions,” concludes Defay.

Dr Damien Lenoble, director of the MRT department said, “Addressing energy-related challenges has been set among our research priorities over the past five years. It is imperative to showcase the applicability of our cutting-edge materials in technologies that effectively harness energy, produce and store green hydrogen, enhance energy efficiency, and reduce overall energy demand. Turning the top-level research conducted at LIST into practical and disruptive technologies is the cornerstone for a renewed industrial leadership in Europe, all while adhering to the highest environmental standards. This particular technology, developed under the leadership of Dr Emmanuel Defay, represents one of several exceptional contributions from LIST that bolster Luxembourg's reputation as a hub for research-driven innovations with substantial added value for both the country and Europe.”

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

When growth becomes a weakness

When growth becomes a weakness
2023-11-17
Growth is a fundamental biological process and a prerequisite for living organisms to develop and reproduce. The processes of cell growth (i.e. the production of new biomass) and of cell division must be coordinated with each other. In multicellular organisms such as humans, the growth of cells must also be coordinated with their environment so that cells are present in the right number and size to form functional tissue or organs. Cell growth is therefore strictly regulated and takes place only when certain growth signals are present. But cancer cells are different. They grow unchecked, they divide ...

HKU Engineering ‘Super Steel’ team develops new ultra stainless steel for hydrogen production

HKU Engineering ‘Super Steel’ team develops new ultra stainless steel for hydrogen production
2023-11-17
A research project led by Professor Mingxin Huang at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has made a brand-new breakthrough over conventional stainless steel and the development of stainless steel for hydrogen (SS-H2). This marks another major achievement by Professor Huang’s team in its ‘Super Steel’ Project, following the development of the anti-COVID-19 stainless steel in 2021, and ultra-strong and ultra-tough Super Steel in 2017 and 2020 respectively. The new steel developed by the team exhibits high corrosion ...

AI supporting creative Industries

2023-11-17
NYC Media Lab (NYCML) and Bertelsmann unveiled  the latest cohort joining the AI & the Creative Industries Challenge, a nine-week program in which teams explore new ways to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create digital content and reach new audiences for three Bertelsmann companies: Fremantle, Penguin Random House, and BMG. The teams are tasked with addressing how AI will impact these important creative industries.  This ongoing partnership, NYCML’s third project with Bertelsmann, will continue to build on new business frontiers enabled by technology. The four selected teams, from around the globe, come from various multidisciplinary ...

Porous platinum matrix shows promise as a new actuator material

Porous platinum matrix shows promise as a new actuator material
2023-11-17
Actuators are common machine components that convert energy into movement, like the muscles in the human body, vibrators in mobile phones or electric motors.  Ideal actuator materials need good electrochemical properties to repeatedly conduct electrical currents made of flowing electrons.  In addition, actuator materials require excellent mechanical properties to withstand the physical stress associated with continual movement.  Nanoporous platinum (np-Pt), a platinum matrix containing tiny pores to increase energy conduction, was recently created in large quantities and in a cost-efficient manner, making np-Pt an ideal and more practical actuator material.   A ...

Accelerating the phase identification of multiphase mixtures with deep learning

Accelerating the phase identification of multiphase mixtures with deep learning
2023-11-17
Crystalline materials are made up of atoms, ions, or molecules arranged in an ordered, three-dimensional structure. They are widely used for the development of semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, photovoltaics, and catalysts. The type of structures that fall into the category of crystalline materials continues to expand as scientists design novel materials to address emerging challenges pertaining to energy storage, carbon capture, and advanced electronics. However, the development of such materials necessitates precise ways of identifying ...

First comprehensive guideline on using biomarkers for monitoring Crohn’s disease

2023-11-17
Bethesda, MD (Nov. 17, 2023) — The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released a new evidence-based guideline recommending the use of blood and stool-based biomarkers to help manage Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is estimated to affect 2.74 million people in the U.S. The guideline was published today in Gastroenterology.  Biomarkers are blood or stool tests that can give more information on an underlying disease process. In the context of IBD, biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) in blood and fecal calprotectin ...

The future of supply chains: 3 essential elements to stay in business

The future of supply chains: 3 essential elements to stay in business
2023-11-17
Why should supply chains matter to you? The products on your store shelves, the packages arriving at your doorstep, and even the food on your table all rely on these intricate networks. Imagine a world where these lifelines are disrupted, where shelves sit empty, and essential goods remain out of reach. In Supply Chain 5.0: The Next Generation of Business Success Through Customer Centricity, Sustainability & Human Rights and Digitalization, we unveil the critical factors shaping the future of supply chains and how they impact your everyday life. This book holds a crucial revelation about the future of our supply chains. It ...

Fishing chimpanzees found to enjoy termites as a seasonal treat

Fishing chimpanzees found to enjoy termites as a seasonal treat
2023-11-17
The discovery that chimpanzees use tools to fish for termites revolutionized our understanding of their abilities — but we still don’t have crucial context to help us understand termite fishing and chimpanzee minds. Are chimpanzees fishing for a seasonal treat or trying their luck? Researchers based at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) and University College London (UCL) investigated the relationship between termite availability and chimpanzee fishing. They found that termites are most available early in the wet season. Although other ...

Children’s brains shaped by their time on tech devices, research to-date shows

2023-11-17
Time spent watching television or playing computer games has measurable and long-term effects on children’s brain function, according to a review of 23 years of neuroimaging research, which while showing negative impacts also demonstrates some positive effects. However, the researchers stop short of advocating limits on screen time, which they say can lead to confrontation. Instead, they urge policymakers to help parents navigate the digital world by promoting programs which support positive brain development. The evidence review, published today in the peer-reviewed journal Early Education ...

Discovery of hemoglobin in the epidermis sheds new light on our skin's protective properties

Discovery of hemoglobin in the epidermis sheds new light on our skins protective properties
2023-11-17
Philadelphia, November 17, 2023 – Researchers have shown for the first time that hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells where it binds oxygen, is also present in the epidermis, our skin's outermost body tissue. The study, which appears in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, published by Elsevier, provides important insights into the properties of our skin's protective external layer. This research was driven by a curiosity about how the epidermis protects our delicate body from the environment and what unexpected ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

AI can spot which patients need treatment to prevent vision loss in young adults

Half of people stop taking popular weight-loss drug within a year, national study finds

Links between diabetes and depression are similar across Europe, study of over-50s in 18 countries finds

Smoking increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of its characteristics

Scientists trace origins of now extinct plant population from volcanically active Nishinoshima

AI algorithm based on routine mammogram + age can predict women’s major cardiovascular disease risk

New hurdle seen to prostate screening: primary-care docs

MSU researchers explore how virtual sports aid mental health

Working together, cells extend their senses

Cheese fungi help unlock secrets of evolution

Researchers find brain region that fuels compulsive drinking

Mental health effects of exposure to firearm violence persist long after direct exposure

Research identifies immune response that controls Oropouche infection and prevents neurological damage

University of Cincinnati, Kent State University awarded $3M by NSF to share research resources

Ancient DNA reveals deeply complex Mastodon family and repeated migrations driven by climate change

Measuring the quantum W state

Researchers find a way to use antibodies to direct T cells to kill Cytomegalovirus-infected cells

Engineers create mini microscope for real-time brain imaging

Funding for training and research in biological complexity

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: September 12, 2025

ISSCR statement on the scientific and therapeutic value of human fetal tissue research

Novel PET tracer detects synaptic changes in spinal cord and brain after spinal cord injury

Wiley advances Knowitall Solutions with new trendfinder application for user-friendly chemometric analysis and additional enhancements to analytical workflows

Benchmark study tracks trends in dog behavior

OpenAI, DeepSeek, and Google vary widely in identifying hate speech

Research spotlight: Study identifies a surprising new treatment target for chronic limb threatening ischemia

Childhood loneliness and cognitive decline and dementia risk in middle-aged and older adults

Parental diseases of despair and suicidal events in their children

Acupuncture for chronic low back pain in older adults

Acupuncture treatment improves disabling effects of chronic low back pain in older adults

[Press-News.org] New cooling mechanism set to revolutionize conventional environmentally harmful refrigeration technologies
LIST researchers publish promising results in prestigious Science magazine