Simple rubber bands can also do this and are much cheaper. But this type of cooling is super inefficient compared to closed-cycle refrigerant systems. Maybe there is some edge case applications in spaceflight, but it's certainly not viable for mainstream.
Have you considered that some materials are more efficient at elastocaloric cooling than others and that rubber bands are not the be-all and end-all here?
No offense, but just wondering why a material science researcher would spend 10 years pursuing a mechanical approach to tackle cooling and heating when for decades we've known about Gadolinium's ability to transfer heat in the presence of a magnetic field. Seems wildly impractical to rely on moving parts to bend/twist/compress, rigid metal rods. The only moving parts in a Gadolinium heating/cooling system would be the air fans or fluid pumps.
You seem to have a poor understanding of what is " mechanical " ! You see that the condition for defining something as mechanical is movement, and this is completely wrong ! Even what you mentioned is considered a mechanical approach ( not because there is movement ). As far as I know, gadolinium is an expensive element. The mechanical approach is the simplest, most reliable, most efficient, most effective approach in any field as it does not require ( battery, very complex electronics and boring coding ) it is REAL ENGINEERING. Moreover, I do not support the idea of using electricity and induction for heating, as you mentioned, for example, but rather it is better to use strong, switchable permanent magnets instead of low-efficiency electromagnets that produce high thermal and electromagnetic losses.
Appliance that is needed is to cool room and store heat in boiler for later use.
Strain the material at resonant frequency.
Simple rubber bands can also do this and are much cheaper. But this type of cooling is super inefficient compared to closed-cycle refrigerant systems.
Maybe there is some edge case applications in spaceflight, but it's certainly not viable for mainstream.
Have you considered that some materials are more efficient at elastocaloric cooling than others and that rubber bands are not the be-all and end-all here?
Seems very inefficient... vapour compression isn't perfect, but it's the best we have.
Nothing is perfect, ever !
No offense, but just wondering why a material science researcher would spend 10 years pursuing a mechanical approach to tackle cooling and heating when for decades we've known about Gadolinium's ability to transfer heat in the presence of a magnetic field. Seems wildly impractical to rely on moving parts to bend/twist/compress, rigid metal rods. The only moving parts in a Gadolinium heating/cooling system would be the air fans or fluid pumps.
Magnetic refrigeration using magnetocaloric effect
You seem to have a poor understanding of what is " mechanical " ! You see that the condition for defining something as mechanical is movement, and this is completely wrong ! Even what you mentioned is considered a mechanical approach ( not because there is movement ). As far as I know, gadolinium is an expensive element. The mechanical approach is the simplest, most reliable, most efficient, most effective approach in any field as it does not require ( battery, very complex electronics and boring coding ) it is REAL ENGINEERING. Moreover, I do not support the idea of using electricity and induction for heating, as you mentioned, for example, but rather it is better to use strong, switchable permanent magnets instead of low-efficiency electromagnets that produce high thermal and electromagnetic losses.
The science of today is the technology of tomorrow.
We need heating devices that do not operate on electricity and does not need electricity as well.
Private access to air conditioning.
What if we used LK 99 instead if the one used in this
Completely different material without these properties. Wouldn't work at all
Ha, Nerd..
Had to do it, sorry.
This is a fascinating subject.