Hayadan > A new artificial liquid that may reduce the environmental damage of the refrigeration industry

A new artificial liquid that may reduce the environmental damage of the refrigeration industry

The editors of the scientific journal Nature Communications chose the Technion researchers' article as one of the most important studies in recent times

Figure 1 – A meta-flow with a large number of stable density states. A – pressure-density graph for meta-flow. First (state 1) the system is at atmospheric pressure and nominal density, then the external pressure acting on the liquid is increased and its density increases (state 2). At this stage, the external pressure is reduced back to atmospheric pressure (state 3) and the system does not return to the nominal density state. This difference is expressed in a different energy state of the system that allows energy storage within it. In order to harvest the saved energy, a negative pressure is applied to the system (state 4) which reduces the density of the liquid and finally allows a return to the initial state (state 1). B – the different energy states of the system depending on the permutation and the external pressure. C - Schematic description of the experimental system that includes a pressure controller, a viscous liquid tank and a tank containing the meta-flow.

Researchers at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion have developed a new group of meta-fluids - artificial fluids with properties that do not exist in natural materials. The research was led by doctoral student Ofek Peretz, Prof. Amir Gat and Prof. Sefi Gabli from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion. The study was published in Nature Communications, and has now been selected by the editors of the scientific journal as well of the important studies most recently published in it.

Metafluids are a subset of metamaterials - artificial materials that exhibit new properties that do not exist in natural materials, for example "negative mass", light scattering, vibration damping and excessive flexibility. In the new article, the Technion researchers present new meta-flows, one of whose unique properties is their ability to efficiently harvest energy from the environment and store it in atmospheric conditions. This development has various practical implications, primarily the creation of a non-polluting substitute for coolants used in air conditioners and other cooling systems.

The performance of cooling systems - their efficiency, their range of operation and their environmental consequences - depend on the thermodynamic properties of those liquids. Technion researchers have developed fluids with improved thermodynamic properties, meaning fluids that are not only more efficient but also less polluting. The liquid developed by the Technion researchers is based on capsules that contain gas and are immersed in another liquid. The interaction between the three components of the system determines the thermodynamic properties of the entire system - the meta-flow. The fact that the capsules are multi-stable, meaning they have several stable equilibrium states, gives the liquid unique thermodynamic properties, including storing and releasing energy and removing heat from the environment.

Refrigeration is a field of activity that is considered the biggest environmental polluter, and this is due to the liquids used in it. That's why the Technion researchers estimate that the development will contribute significantly to reducing environmental pollution emissions and reducing man's part in global warming. The doctoral student Ofek Peretz Prof. Sefi Gabli Prof. Amir Gat

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation.