New Type of Refrigeration Uses Nanosponge, Water and Alcohol
A research team of Tohoku University, Nissan Motor Co., Shinshu University, and Okayama University made a groundbreaking discovery in the quest to replace hydrofluorocarbons in refrigeration systems with natural refrigerants such as water and alcohol.
Their study involved carrying-out a liquid-to-gas phase transition via a. Their findings could lead to more efficient refrigerants with a smaller carbon footprint nanosponge, a soft, elastic material equipped with small nanopores less than 10 nanometers
Nanosponge, a soft, elastic material equipped with small nanopores less than 10 nanometers
Credit:
Credit: ⒸHirotomo NishiharaWhen applying force, however, the expelled liquid immediately evaporates into gas. Furthermore, as the sponge returns to its natural shape, it adsorbs the gas as a liquid into the nanopores again.
Until now, researchers have not carried out the squeezing process of nanoporous materials because conventional materials are too hard to be deformed. Nevertheless, the team circumvented this by creating their own soft, elastic, nanoporous materials, consisting of a single-layer of graphene walls. They measured their results using a home-made equipment designed to monitor liquid-gas phase transition when mechanical force is applied.
The team thought about the squeezing method after developing soft nanoporous materials. But even they could not anticipate their prediction becoming reality at the first attempt.
To date, there have been only two methods of converting trapped liquid into gas: i. heating or ii. decreasing the gas-phase pressure. The squeezing method provides a third way, generating a new theme in the field of physical chemistry and paving the path for more environmentally friendly refrigeration systems. Cool stuff!
Contacts and sources:
Hirotomo Nishihara Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University
Source: http://www.ineffableisland.com/2019/07/revolutionary-new-type-of-refrigeration.html
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Charles Higley
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I know they want to avoid CO2 because it has been (wrongly) demonized. CO2 turns out to be the best and even the cheapest of all refrigerants. The energy needs to run even a sponge refrigerator is finite because you have to do work on the sponge and remove the heat that is moved. How do you continuously squeeze the sponge? Compressors can run continuously. The cycle for this new concept, the vapor and heat cycle, is not clear here.. CO2 is plant food and has no downside, but alcohol is a false hazard with leaks and the fumes will likely hang near the floor. CO2 leaks simply cannot cause a fire, ever.
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Joseph Olson
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Wiki/Fluorine > the 13th most common element on Earth
Geologist-1011(.)net > Volcanic Halocarbons, Fluorine forms hundreds of compounds
Wiki/Ozone > created by lightning, +100 strikes per second worldwide, Ozone has half-life of 30 minutes
The Montreal Protocol was AGW beta test and new patent scam for Dupont
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James McGinn
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They measured their results using a home-made equipment designed to monitor liquid-gas phase transition when mechanical force is applied.
What? A homemade device that measures a phase transition? Does this not raise a red flag? I think it more likely that they are victims of a common misconception.
http://www.thunderbolts.info/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16471
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Al Shelton
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Sheeesh……. now we will have all the down and out drunks breaking into our houses to drink the “refrigerant”. ;^D
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Carbon Bigfoot
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A SPONGE I though we got rid of that when we got rid of OBAMA. Another liberal wet dream that has no commercial value. OBAMA THE SPONGE JUST BOUGHT A $15MM MANSION BEACHFRONT IN MARTHA’S VINEYARD. SO MUCH FOR SEA LEVEL RISE!!!
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