Waste Heat to Cooling

Detailed overview of innovation with sample startups and prominent university research


What it is

Waste heat to cooling technologies utilize waste heat from industrial processes or other sources to power cooling systems, providing a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative to conventional cooling methods that rely on electricity generated from fossil fuels. This approach can significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with cooling buildings and industrial processes.

Impact on climate action

Waste Heat to Cooling within Industrial Waste Heat Recovery mitigates climate change by repurposing waste heat from industrial processes to provide cooling. By reducing the energy demand for cooling systems, this innovation conserves resources, lowers carbon emissions, and promotes energy efficiency, contributing to a more sustainable industrial sector.

Underlying
Technology

  • Absorption Chillers: Absorption chillers use heat to drive a refrigeration cycle, replacing the electricity-driven compressor found in conventional air conditioners. Waste heat from industrial processes or solar thermal collectors can be used to provide the heat needed for the absorption process.
  • Adsorption Chillers: Adsorption chillers use a solid adsorbent material to adsorb refrigerant vapor, creating a cooling effect. Waste heat is used to regenerate the adsorbent material, allowing for continuous operation.
  • Desiccant Cooling Systems: Desiccant cooling systems use desiccants, which are materials that absorb moisture from the air, to dehumidify and cool the air. Waste heat can be used to regenerate the desiccant material.
  • Thermoelectric Cooling: Thermoelectric cooling devices use the Peltier effect to create a temperature difference by passing an electric current through a junction of two different materials. Waste heat can be used to generate the electricity needed for thermoelectric cooling.

TRL : 6-8 (depending on the specific technology)


Prominent Innovation themes

  • High-Efficiency Absorption Chillers: Researchers and companies are developing absorption chillers with higher cooling capacities and improved efficiency, making them more suitable for larger buildings and industrial applications.
  • Advanced Adsorbent Materials: Innovations in adsorbent materials are improving the performance and efficiency of adsorption chillers.
  • Hybrid Cooling Systems: Hybrid systems combine waste heat to cooling technologies with conventional cooling technologies, such as vapor compression chillers, to provide a more reliable and flexible cooling solution.
  • Waste Heat Recovery and Integration: Advanced heat exchangers and system integration strategies are improving the efficiency of waste heat recovery and its utilization for cooling applications.

Other Innovation Subthemes

  • Next-Generation Adsorption Chillers
  • Advancements in Desiccant Cooling
  • Thermoelectric Cooling
  • Integration of Waste Heat Recovery
  • Optimized Heat Exchangers
  • Cutting-Edge Absorbent Materials
  • Urban District Cooling Systems

Related Innovations

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Sample Global Startups and Companies

  1. Broad Air Conditioning:
    • Technology Enhancement: Broad Air Conditioning specializes in waste heat-driven absorption chillers for cooling applications. Their systems utilize waste heat from various sources, such as industrial processes or power generation, to drive the absorption refrigeration cycle, producing chilled water for air conditioning and cooling purposes. This technology offers an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solution for utilizing waste heat.
    • Uniqueness of the Startup: Broad Air Conditioning stands out for its expertise in absorption chiller technology and its focus on waste heat utilization for cooling. Their systems are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing industrial processes, providing a sustainable and cost-effective solution for cooling needs while reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
    • End-User Segments Addressing: Broad Air Conditioning serves industries, commercial buildings, and institutions seeking efficient and sustainable cooling solutions. Their waste heat-driven absorption chillers are deployed in manufacturing facilities, data centers, hospitals, and district cooling systems, helping customers achieve energy savings, improve operational efficiency, and reduce environmental impact.
  2. Shuangliang Eco-Energy Systems:
    • Technology Enhancement: Shuangliang Eco-Energy Systems specializes in waste heat recovery and utilization solutions, including absorption chillers for cooling applications. Their systems utilize waste heat from industrial processes, cogeneration systems, or renewable energy sources to drive the absorption refrigeration cycle, providing chilled water for air conditioning and refrigeration purposes.
    • Uniqueness of the Startup: Shuangliang Eco-Energy Systems stands out for its comprehensive portfolio of waste heat utilization technologies and its commitment to sustainability. Their absorption chillers are designed to be highly efficient and reliable, offering a scalable solution for cooling needs in various industries and applications.
    • End-User Segments Addressing: Shuangliang Eco-Energy Systems serves industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and district cooling projects seeking waste heat recovery solutions. Their absorption chillers are deployed in steel mills, chemical plants, power plants, and commercial complexes, helping customers reduce energy costs, increase energy efficiency, and lower carbon emissions.
  3. Yazaki Energy Systems:
    • Technology Enhancement: Yazaki Energy Systems specializes in absorption chillers and heat pump systems for waste heat utilization and cooling applications. Their absorption chillers use waste heat from industrial processes, cogeneration systems, or renewable energy sources to drive the refrigeration cycle, providing cooling for air conditioning and refrigeration purposes.
    • Uniqueness of the Startup: Yazaki Energy Systems stands out for its long history and expertise in absorption chiller technology and its commitment to environmental sustainability. Their systems are known for their reliability, efficiency, and versatility, making them suitable for a wide range of waste heat recovery and cooling applications.
    • End-User Segments Addressing: Yazaki Energy Systems serves industrial, commercial, and institutional customers seeking waste heat utilization and cooling solutions. Their absorption chillers are deployed in manufacturing plants, office buildings, hotels, and hospitals, helping customers reduce energy consumption, lower operating costs, and minimize environmental impact.

Sample Research At Top-Tier Universities

  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL):
    • Research Focus: NREL is a leader in research on Waste Heat to Cooling, focusing on developing advanced thermodynamic cycles, heat exchanger designs, and absorption refrigeration systems for efficiently converting industrial waste heat into useful cooling energy.
    • Uniqueness: Their research involves exploring novel working fluids, sorbent materials, and system architectures to optimize the performance, reliability, and environmental impact of waste heat recovery technologies. They also conduct techno-economic analysis, market assessments, and field demonstrations to evaluate the feasibility and scalability of waste heat to cooling systems across various industrial sectors.
    • End-use Applications: The outcomes of their work have applications in industrial process cooling, air conditioning, and refrigeration in sectors such as manufacturing, food processing, and data centers. By converting waste heat into cooling energy, NREL’s research helps reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and operating costs for industrial facilities, while also enhancing energy resilience and sustainability.
  2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):
    • Research Focus: MIT conducts pioneering research on Waste Heat to Cooling, leveraging its expertise in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and materials science to develop innovative approaches for capturing and utilizing low-grade waste heat for cooling applications.
    • Uniqueness: Their research encompasses the development of novel thermoelectric materials, heat exchanger configurations, and absorption chiller systems for efficient and cost-effective waste heat recovery. They also explore hybrid cooling systems, thermal energy storage, and advanced control strategies to enhance system performance, flexibility, and reliability.
    • End-use Applications: The outcomes of their work find applications in industrial processes, building HVAC systems, and waste heat utilization in urban environments. By harnessing waste heat for cooling, MIT’s research contributes to energy efficiency improvements, carbon emissions reduction, and climate resilience, supporting the transition to a more sustainable and resource-efficient economy.
  3. University of California, Berkeley:
    • Research Focus: UC Berkeley is engaged in innovative research on Waste Heat to Cooling, leveraging its expertise in chemical engineering, energy systems, and sustainability to develop integrated waste heat recovery solutions for decentralized cooling applications.
    • Uniqueness: Their research involves exploring novel absorption and adsorption refrigeration cycles, membrane-based heat exchangers, and thermal desorption processes for converting waste heat into cooling energy with high efficiency and reliability. They also investigate system integration with renewable energy sources, waste heat cascading, and district cooling networks to maximize energy savings and environmental benefits.
    • End-use Applications: The outcomes of their work have applications in industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and residential cooling systems. By repurposing waste heat for cooling purposes, UC Berkeley’s research contributes to energy conservation, cost savings, and emissions reduction, while also promoting the adoption of sustainable cooling technologies in urban and industrial contexts.

commercial_img Commercial Implementation

Waste heat to cooling technologies are being implemented in various industrial and commercial applications around the world. For example, absorption chillers are used in district cooling systems, industrial process cooling, and large commercial buildings.



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