New barocaloric cooling method delivers powerful zero-carbon refrigeration using liquid-based heat transfer.
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have overcome a long-standing bottleneck in refrigeration by developing a new cooling method that could cut carbon emissions to zero.Led by Prof. Li Bing at the Institute of Metal Research, the team introduced a technique based on the dissolution barocaloric effect , offering a clean alternative to traditional vapor-compression refrigeration.
Cooling systems are essential to modern life, from food storage to data centers, but they come at a steep environmental cost.Conventional refrigeration relies heavily on electricity and contributes significantly to global carbon emissions.Solid-state cooling has long been viewed as a greener option, but its real-world use has been limited. The main challenge has been poor heat transfer, which prevents solid coolants from working efficiently at scale.Cooling without solid limitsThe researchers found a way around this barrier by combining solid cooling effects with liquid flow. While studying the salt ammonium thiocyanate, they observed that when the salt dissolves in water, it releases large amounts of heat.Applying pressure reverses the process, causing the salt to precipitate again. This reversible cycle allows continuous cooling when pressure is applied and released, making it suitable for refrigeration systems.Unlike conventional solid-state cooling, where heat struggles to move across material boundaries, this method integrates the refrigerant and heat-transfer medium into a single flowing liquid.The approach solves what researchers describe as the “impossible triangle” of caloric materials by delivering low emissions, high cooling power, and efficient heat transfer at the same time.Lab experiments showed striking performance. At room temperature, the system produced a temperature drop of nearly 30 kelvins in just 20 seconds. At higher temperatures, the cooling span reached up to 54 kelvins.These figures far exceed the performance of existing solid-state barocaloric materials. Simulations of a prototype cooling cycle also suggested a cooling capacity of 67 joules per gram, with efficiency approaching 77 percent.Built for real machinesUsing in-situ spectroscopic techniques, the team confirmed that the cooling process is stable, reversible, and responds instantly to pressure changes.These characteristics are critical for real-world refrigeration systems that must operate reliably over long periods.The technology departs from traditional cooling principles that rely on gas compression or solid phase changes.By turning the coolant into a pumpable fluid, the system can move directly through heat exchangers, simplifying design and boosting performance.This opens the door to zero-emission refrigeration for industrial facilities and households alike.The strong performance at high temperatures also makes the technology particularly attractive for cooling next-generation artificial intelligence computing centers, where heat loads are extreme and energy efficiency is critical.The researchers say the method could help reshape how cooling systems are designed, reducing both energy use and carbon emissions across multiple industries.The study was published in Nature.
Ammonium Thiocyanate Barocaloric Effect Chinese Academy Of Sciences Cooling Technology Energy Efficiency Solid-State Cooling Zero-Carbon Refrigeration
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