Not-in-kind cooling technologies performance comparison

In their study*, S. Qian et al propose the COP breakdown analysis method as a quantitative comparison for non-vapour compression technologies, or not-in-kind (NIK) cooling technologies. First, comparing the materials level performance for each NIK refrigerants using only the materials properties under the specified cycle path provides insight on the limit for each NIK technologies assuming the system can be ideal. Then the system integration losses were taken into account for the same operating conditions for a fair comparison. It was found that from both the materials and the system perspective, magnetocaloric cooling is so far the only NIK technology better than the vapour compression cooling. The four evaluated solid-state NIK technologies (elastocaloric - single stage-, magnetocaloric, electrocaloric and thermoelectric cooling) are more beneficial for small temperature lift applications, among which the elastocaloric cooling could be potentially applicable for a wider temperature lift range with advances in both materials and system integration. The evaluated two gaseous NIK technologies (Stirling and Brayton cooling cycles) are superior in high temperature lift applications, and efforts in major components modifications are needed to increase their performance if medium temperature lift applications are required. This summary refers to a review article recently published in the International Journal of Refrigeration (IJR). It can be downloaded from IIR Fridoc database. Don't forget to login or register first! * Not-in-kind cooling technologies: a quantitative comparison of refrigerants and system performance. Qian S, Nasuta D, Rhoads A, Wang Y, Geng Y, Hwang Y, Radermacher R, Takeuchi I.