Waste heat powering car air conditioning using adsorption technology
Posted by Ben Proudlove on Tue, Nov 03, 2009 @ 08:10 AM
Interesting website detailing the work being carried out by Professor Critoph and his team at the Warwick Energy Research at Warwick University. Using a range of equipment including the Rubotherm gravimetric sorption analysers they are looking at the research and development of adsorption cycle heat pumps, refrigerators and air conditioners.
One such system they are working on is using the waste heat from car engine exhausts to drive a modular thermal wave adsorption air conditioner. You'll find a great presentation on their site of the work they're currently researching.
Typically it's estimated current air conditioning units can lower the car's fuel consumption by over 10mpg, so having potentially quite an effect on the environment if every car owner drives around with their air conditioning on. I would assume that this new research from Warwick would potentially mean that in the future car drivers can keep cool in hot weather without any negative affects on their fuel economy, thus having huge potential benefits for the climate.