As the United States and Canada pass through large heat waves, «Economist Highlights a new technology for air conditioning interiors. Air conditioning plays an important role in global warming by rejecting hot air outside and creating hot islands, especially in cities. Today, conventional air conditioners use refrigerant gases known as hydrofluorocarbons, which are expensive and highly combustible greenhouse gases, says The Economist.

After the latest IPCC report, there are concerns about the dramatic effects of a 1.5 degree rise in temperature, and current air conditioning systems have not yet provided sustainable solutions. It was without regard to the creativity of Exerge, a small Irish company that claims to have found the solution.

Absorb heat emission

Headquartered in Dublin, Exergin has been secretly working on the project for two years, “not authorizing to co-operate with a multinational company”. A company is testing the 60 kilowatt version of Exergin, which has the capacity to cool 15 to 20 apartments. This new technology is based on nitinol. It is a “shape-memory alloy” (SMA) – a shape memory alloy – a combination of nickel and titanium that changes shape when heated. Thus, nitinol absorbs the heat emitted by air conditioners. These liquids are then passed through cooling units and discharged outside.

Inexpensive technology

This method respects the environment more than real hydrofluorocarbons, and is “30% cheaper to buy and 30 to 40% cheaper to use,” explains Tony Enis, president of Exercine.

The Irish company intends to expand its operations in various sectors of the economy. “Exergin has begun discussions with carmakers and aerospace companies to launch similar co-development projects”, details “The Economist”.