28

Say hello to ionocaloric cooling.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] lvxferre@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago

Putting salt on roads to prevent ice from forming is a common example of this in action.

A better example: lots of people use salt to force the ice to melt, to chill their beer faster. It's the exact same principle as in the article.

The main issue is entropy - it's hard to remove the salt off the liquid, to make it a solid again, if you want a continuous process. But perhaps if you use a "brine" vs. pure liquid, reverse osmosis could do the trick?

The second issue is that you need to work with a rather specific range of temperatures; make it too high and the liquid won't become solid again, make it too low and it won't melt even if you add the salt. This could be also solved by "bootstrapping" the process with the older HFC-based one, you're still reducing HFC usage this way albeit not completely.

[-] admiralteal@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I doubt you could use an RO-like process for that. Aside from the filters needing servicing, you don't really have closed loop RO. You'd have to plumb your appliance.

My reading of this write-up is that they can push the ions in with an electric charge and they'll leave the solution when the charge is removed. The paper says they are able to trigger melting and recrystallization.

this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2023
28 points (100.0% liked)

Technology

30 readers
1 users here now

This magazine is dedicated to discussions on the latest developments, trends, and innovations in the world of technology. Whether you are a tech enthusiast, a developer, or simply curious about the latest gadgets and software, this is the place for you. Here you can share your knowledge, ask questions, and engage in discussions on topics such as artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and more. From the impact of technology on society to the ethical considerations of new technologies, this category covers a wide range of topics related to technology. Join the conversation and let's explore the ever-evolving world of technology together!

founded 1 year ago