Final Development of a Zero Energy Dehumidification and Cooling System

2d40f048-805f-4d2f-8968-6ebbfca79000

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EPSRC
EPSRC
EPSRC
EPSRC
EPSRC

£414,170

March 31, 2017

March 31, 2019

Most modern building cooling systems consume high levels of electrical power, driving energy consumption rates in
buildings. The energy burden from AC will rise with growing populations, emerging middle classes, & global warming. Free
Running Buildings (FRB) Ltd & the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield will
undertake collaborative development activities to finalise design for manufacture of FREECOOL, a zero-energy passive
ventilation with active cooling system, incorporating two newly patented innovations (patent pending; GB1321709.6 &
PCT/GB2016/051081). FREECOOL can lower incoming air temperature by 15 degrees C and remove humidity with no
requirement for power. The collaborative team will finalise design of key components to reduce weight, and enable flat pack
shipping and modular construction. Field trials will demonstrate the ability of FREECOOL to reduce energy consumption in
building. For FRB, the project will generate a market-ready system that can be sold to generate revenue for company
expansion and further R&D. For AMRC, it diversifies its links to industry & supports it's position within the High Value
Manufacturing Catapult.

Potential Impact:
IUK funding enables the partnership to deliver collaborative growth, providing the investment stimulus to enable FRB, a
UK-based SME to become a leading developer of passive cooling technology. FRB is an early stage start up company set
up to commercialise passive cooling IP developed at the University of Leeds. During this start up phase, income generated
from consultancy enables the day to day running of the company but can not provide the revenue needed to support this
project in its entirety. Further investment is dependent on this phase of product development - validation of performance
and compliance with regulations as well as the ability to design flat packed FREECOOL modules for quality licensed local
manufacturing. FRB are therefore, seeking grant funding to reach this important milestone, key for successful
commercialisation and the further investment that will be required at the project end.
IUK funding enables FRB to work in collaboration with AMRC and for the FREECOOL product to benefit from the
considerable expertise in design for manufacture and knowledge of innovative techniques and materials for the best
outcome in terms of product design and its requirements in terms of manufacturability. AMRC's involvement will accelerate
the process, product & solutions development work, speeding time to market Without the stimulus of external funds, FRB
may miss this window of opportunity to gain a foothold as a market leader in zero energy cooling, which will deliver a
technology of great value to the target markets.
Grant funding will allow the partnership to undertake a comprehensive, well-defined & significant package of product
development & testing at an earlier stage than possible otherwise, bringing forward the date this technology can start to
address the energy trilemma.
Furthermore, FRB has developed a range of technology solutions for passive cooling and heating, the partnership with
AMRC created through this project, would continue with further opportunities for collaborative growth with AMRC
assistance for manufacturing design, increasing the long term R&D spend within the UK, creating benefits for the UK
treasury from sales & export activity. Successful deployment of the FREECOOL will have the following direct impacts:
AC accounts for 40-60% of energy consumption in buildings. Adding FREECOOL to buildings fitted with AC, lowering
incoming air temperatures reduces the operational time & thus energy usage of the AC unit. This increases the life
expectancy of the AC unit, and reduces use of cooling hydroflurocarbons (HFC's). Savings of 800-5000 W of electricty per
hour and emissions of 520-3250 grams CO2 per hour (based on typical AC unit). Reducing energy demands will also help
to reduce the energy import requirements of the countries where FREECOOL is installed. Reducing AC use lowers release
of HFC's, supporting objectives of The Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement; Less AC use = reduced CO2 emissions from
generators required to power the AC unit. Retrofitting traditional AC systems that have ducts can take days to weeks, and
causes disruption. As a ductless system, installation of FREECOOL will cause considerably less disruption to work or home
life, as the majority of work is completed on the outside of the building; (ii) Comfortable air temperatures (20-22 degrees C)
are associated with: i) greater classroom performance of schoolchildren; ii) greater work force productivity. Most residential
AC units recirculate indoor air to save energy, this negatively impacts air quality, and is linked to worsening of respiratory
conditions incl. asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, due to the spread of indoor pollutants such
as bacteria, molds, mildew, viruses, pollen and animal dander. FREECOOL permits the movement of fresh outdoor air into
the building, reducing the concentrations of indoor pollutants.