Novel Materials for Adsorptive Heat Pumping and Storage: Screening and Nanotailoring of Sorption Properties

Abstract

The brief review of innovative materials for adsorptive pumping and storage of low temperature heat as well as current trends in this field showed their great potential. To implement it in the near future it is reasonable to follow two complementary lines: (a) systematic testing for this application novel adsorbents initially developed for other targets (gas drying, separation, etc.), and (b) tailoring of new specific porous materials adapted just to variety of adsorptive cooling, heating and storage cycles under different climatic and boundary conditions. The main idea of the latter approach is that for each particular adsorptive cycle there is an optimal adsorbent, the thermodynamic characteristics of which could allow perfect performance of this cycle. The first step of the analysis is the formulation of requirements to this desirable (ideal) adsorbent. Then, the final step is to design and synthesize a new adsorbent with sorption properties close or even equal to those determined before as perfectly fitting the cycle. Particular examples of nanotailoring of adsorption properties are given for two phase materials, composites "a salt in a porous host matrix", which can be used as efficient adsorbents of water, methanol and ammonia.

Novel experimental methodology for the characterization of thermodynamic performance of advanced working pairs for adsorptive heat transformers

“…In general, the performance of an AHT heavily depend on the selection of the most appropriate adsorbent material, taking into account both thermodynamic [6] and dynamic properties [7]. Historically, zeolites, silica gels and active carbons have been commonly employed as adsorbent materials for AHT applications [8].…”

Current progress in adsorption technologies for low-energy buildings

“…Combination of high storage density of the salts and good mass transfer of the porous matrix allows the design of advanced materials and AHS units with high efficiency and specific power. Very important advantage of SWSs is an opportunity for nano-tailoring their sorption properties by varying the salt chemical nature and content, porous structure of the host matrix and synthesis conditions [51,52]. It is especially valuable for interseasonal AHS, because allows adaptation of a heat storing adsorbent to particular climatic conditions at the location of AHS unit.…”

Current progress in adsorption technologies for low-energy buildings

“…They present a family of solid sorbents specifically developed in the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis (Novosibirsk, Russia) for adsorptive transformation and storage of low temperature heat [50,51]. The SWSs were shown to exhibit an intermediate behaviour between solid adsorbents, salts hydrates and liquid absorbents.…”