Researchers have built the first refrigerant-free system to reach sub-zero temperatures, a breakthrough that could reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Imaging if this technology could cool a data centre.

Edit: I was not involved in this project. You are wasting your time asking me questions.

  • Echo Dot@feddit.ukEnglish
    3·
    12 hours ago

    I don’t think shape change materials are all that efficient. The problem being is you still need some mechanism to compress the material again, which obviously uses energy. As you say their main advantage is that they don’t use traditional refrigerants. But the trade-off for that is that they are mechanically more complicated and probably for any given amount of cooling will require more electricity.

    You can trade those off with renewable energy sources of course so it may still be worth it but technically they are worse efficiency than traditional vacuum pumps.

    • Gladaed@feddit.orgEnglish
      1·
      5 hours ago

      Some sources claim much higher efficiency. This makes sense to me since you are not limited by your coolant’s properties so much and don’t have to maintain pressure. But I can’t do in depth research for you.