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Researchers Pave Way For Compressor-Free Refrigeration
Hugh Pickens brings news that scientists from Penn State have developed a new method for heat-transfer that may replace the common compressor-based system used in household appliances. Quoting:
"Zhang's approach uses the change from disorganized to organized that occurs in some polarpolymers when placed in an electric field. The natural state of these materials is disorganized with the various molecules randomly positioned. When electricity is applied, the molecules become highly ordered and the material gives off heat and becomes colder. When the electricity is turned off, the material reverts to its disordered state and absorbs heat. The researchers report a change in temperature for the material of about 22.6 degrees Fahrenheit... Repeated randomizing and ordering of the material combined with an appropriate heat exchanger could provide a wide range of heating and cooling temperatures."
without knowing the specifics of the method proposed... (the temp differential doesn't tell you anything if one doesn't know how much energy is required to accomplish that change of state.) you can not actually tell if it's more efficient or not... can you? (i won't (and didn't) deny i'm just guessing.
p.s.1: sadly i'm not a geek anymore (just a chemical engineering drop-out with credentials removed a long time ago) so i'm kinda letting the rum do the talking...
p.s.2: in perfectly acceptable /. fashion... i obviously didn't RTFA so an undetermined quantity of salt it's gonna be required for any post of mine wrt this.
like letting the air out of a balloon!!
How we know is more important than what we know.
Zhang's approach uses the change form disorganized to organized that occurs in some polarpolymers when placed in an electric field
emphasis mine. you think the pin state College of engineering would proofread spelling better. DON'T TRUST WORD's SPELLCHECK