Researchers develop cooling system using waste heat and metal foils

An international research team has demonstrated a novel cooling system that operates without traditional refrigerants or electricity. Developed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany and the University of Tsukuba in Japan, the technology utilizes waste heat as a driving force rather than electric motors.

The system employs two metal foils made of a nickel-titanium shape-memory alloy. One foil contracts when exposed to heat, creating mechanical force that stretches a second foil. This continuous cycle of loading and unloading changes the crystal structure, extracting energy from the system and generating a cooling effect. In experimental setups, the system achieved a temperature change of nearly 13 degrees Celsius, while on a component level, it has reliably lowered temperatures by four degrees Celsius.