High-performance polymer-based regenerative elastocaloric cooler

Alternative methods of refrigeration are critical for performance optimization and environ- mental sustainability. Prototype systems using caloric materials have shown the advantages of a high coefficient of performance (COP) and low global warming potential. Elastocaloric elastomers can meet ongoing needs, but their implementation in functional heat pumps or coolers remains challenging due to their requirement for a large deformation and low thermal conductivity. Moreover, a scalable design is required to achieve high cooling power. As a leap forward for the use of polymers in larger scale caloric devices, we developed experimental elastocaloric polymer coolers with two different geometries using natural rubber tubes. We confirmed that a suitable geometry partially compensated for the low thermal conductivity and led to performances comparable to those of other caloric devices. Several operating conditions were tested to determine the optimal temperature span, cooling power, and COP for both device geometries. Under a specific operating condition, one of the prototypes exhibited a maximum temperature span > 8 K, a maximum COP of 6, and an output cooling power of 1.5 W; this power outperforms other prototypes based on polymers or ceramics. The parallelization of rubber tubes will facilitate realistic elastocaloric polymer coolers on a larger scale.

Automated summary

Experimental elastocaloric polymer coolers using natural rubber tubes were developed with two different geometries. The suitable geometry compensated for the low thermal conductivity and achieved performances comparable to other caloric devices. One of the prototypes exhibited a maximum temperature span > 8K, a maximum COP of 6, and an output cooling power of 1.5W, outperforming other prototypes based on polymers or ceramics. This breakthrough enables the realization of realistic elastocaloric polymer coolers on a larger scale.