Open AccessThermotunneling Based Cooling Systems for High Efficiency Buildings
Author(s) -
Marco Aimi,
Mehmet Arık,
J. W. Bray,
Thomas Gorczyca,
Darryl Michael,
Stanton Weaver
Publication year - 2007
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/921025
Subject(s) - refrigerant , vapor compression refrigeration , refrigeration , anode , work (physics) , materials science , electrode , mechanical engineering , nuclear engineering , computer science , automotive engineering , process engineering , electrical engineering , engineering , chemistry , heat exchanger
GE Global Research's overall objective was to develop a novel thermotunneling-cooling device. The end use for these devices is the replacement of vapor cycle compression (VCC) units in residential and commercial cooling and refrigeration systems. Thermotunneling devices offer many advantages over vapor cycle compression cooling units. These include quiet, reliable, non-moving parts operation without refrigerant gases. Additionally theoretical calculations suggest that the efficiency of thermotunneling devices can be 1.5-2x that of VCC units. Given these attributes it can be seen that thermotunneling devices have the potential for dramatic energy savings and are environmentally friendly. A thermotunneling device consists of two low work function electrodes separated by a sub 10 nanometer-sized gap. Cooling by thermotunneling refers to the transport of hot electrons across the gap, from the object to be cooled (cathode) to the heat rejection electrode (anode), by an applied potential. GE Global Research's goal was to model, design, fabricate devices and demonstrate cooling base on the thermotunneling technology