Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKSThe "Green Cool" project aims to advance the development of magnetocaloric cooling systems and the implementation of this disruptive technology with sustainable materials. In addition, the project aims to make a further contribution to the implementation of the circular economy in the cooling sector.
Magnetocaloric (MK) cooling technology has the potential to increase energy efficiency by up to 40% compared to conventional gas compression cooling and also eliminate all direct greenhouse gas emissions. This means that air conditioning systems and other cooling systems in supermarkets, offices or industrial plants that still rely on climate-damaging refrigerants can be replaced. Two challenges must be overcome in order to introduce MK cooling technologies on a large scale, as the new technology requires new/different materials that are not currently used for cooling in this form. Firstly, permanent magnets are required for the system to function. These magnets are based on rare earths, which the EU has classified as critical for Europe's supply. Furthermore, the mining of rare earths such as neodymium is associated with a not inconsiderable impact on nature. Green Cool should therefore use materials from our technosphere. To this end, waste streams need to be identified and magnets processed so that they are suitable for use in MK cooling technology.
On the other hand, magnetocaloric active material must be made available in sufficient quantity and form, as these materials are not yet produced in Europe beyond the technological scale. To this end, the material lanthanum-iron-silicon (La-Fe-Si) is being further developed in Green Cool and its implementation in active heat sinks is being driven forward using near net shaping methods.