The project Advanced Cooling/Refrigeration Technologies Development was initiated to share information to encourage the development of high-efficiency and low–global warming potential air-condition, refrigeration, and heat pump technologies. The results now available, summarize the current RD&D status of the leading technologies and give a pathway for future development for clean and efficient solutions.
Air-conditioning and refrigeration systems account for a large share of current global energy consumption.
The adoption of air-condition in developed countries increased rapidly in the twentieth century, and the twenty-first century is expected to see increased adoption in developing countries—especially those with hotter climates and large, growing populations, such as India, China, Brazil, and Middle Eastern and African nations.
To meet the increasing demand, cleaner and more efficient refrigeration systems is critical.
The HPT TCP Annex 53 Advanced Cooling/Refrigeration Technologies Development was launched in response to the anticipated heavy growth in worldwide demand for air-condition and refrigeration by 2050. The main objective is to share information to encourage the development of high-efficiency and low–global warming potential, air-condition, refrigeration, and heat pump technologies. The final report of the project provides a summary of the current RD&D status of the leading technologies.
The technologies investigated follow two distinct paths: those based on the well-known and widely used vapor compression system and those based on nontraditional cooling approaches that are being increasingly investigated.
Vapor compression systems could continue to be the system of choice, especially for the near future and possibly for the long-term. To the extent, however, that vapor compression systems cycle systems continue to use refrigerants with nonzero global warming potential —even in small amounts—they will remain vulnerable to further international refrigerant restrictions.
Nontraditional technologies, like caloric or other types generally are not subject to this challenge because they do not rely on refrigerants in the traditional sense. However, all the nontraditional technologies investigated will require additional development before they can significantly affect the market.