About 35% of the total residential and commercial energy consumption can be attributed to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) processes. As the climate changes, a positive feedback loop is created: more energy is demanded of HVAC systems, which in turn produce more carbon emissions affecting climate change.
The European Commission began seeking new technologies for increasing HVAC efficiencies with the EnE-HVAC project in October 2012. Some of the technologies currently in research include nano-coatings of surfaces for better heat transfer, nano- and micro-materials to improve the efficiency of refrigerants, and nano-additives for coolants.
ESI, on the other hand, is looking to improve on current computational fluid dynamics methodologies and apply multiphysics. Specifically, ESI is creating nano-technology simulation modeling approaches for HVAC components.
According to project coordinator, Jacob Ask Hansen, “A well-orchestrated synergy between simulation and experimental tests helps reduce the number of physical experiments needed as part of the EnE-HVAC project. Running multiple iterations of synthesis and surface manufacturing followed by laboratory tests require numerous man hours. By using initial experimental input from small scale tests and feeding this information into large scale numerical models, we gain extremely valuable input for selecting optimal surfaces for large scale physical tests. This iterative process between experiments and modeling is very valuable for getting the most accurate end results in shorter time scales.”
Image and source courtesy of ESI Group.