Northumbria Uni leading international consortium developing energy-efficient cooling solutions

An international research initiative led by Northumbria University has been awarded £2.8 million by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to develop energy-efficient cooling technologies in response to the devastating impact of extreme heatwaves in Pakistan.

The S2Cool project brings together a consortium of over 30 partners, including academics, industry experts, and policymakers from the UK and Pakistan. It is one of thirteen UK research projects to receive funding through UKRI’s Ayrton Challenge Programme, which aims to address urgent global energy and climate challenges.

Pakistan experienced record-breaking temperatures exceeding 52.2°C in June 2023, resulting in the tragic loss of 120,000 lives and an estimated £13.1 billion in economic losses. With severe heatwaves posing a significant threat to human health, livelihoods, and the nation’s economy, Dinushika Dissanayake, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director in South Asia, called for urgent action – a call the S2Cool project team has answered through research-driven innovation.

Traditional air conditioning systems present significant challenges, including high energy consumption, high maintenance costs, and the use of harmful refrigerants.

Dr Muhammad Wakil Shahzad, Associate Professor in Northumbria’s Department of Mechanical and Construction Engineering and lead on the S2Cool project, has been working with a team of researchers to develop pioneering water and cooling technology solutions for the past decade.

He said: “The S2Cool project aims to design and develop a Novel Indirect Evaporative Cooler (NIEC) which will represent a significant breakthrough in cooling technology, addressing the constraints of current IEC systems through simplified design and optimised airflow.”

The S2Cool technology works by passing ‘supply air’ – air that has been conditioned – and ‘working humid air’ – air used to cool the supply air – through a series of dry and wet channels. These channels are separated by high-performance, non-corrosive conductive material. During the evaporative cooling process, water droplets in the wet channel evaporate, absorbing heat from the supply air and cooling it down.

“This is a fundamental principle that can be scaled by increasing the number of channels to cool more air at once,” added Dr Shahzad.

The system is designed to operate on renewable solar photovoltaic power with battery storage, ensuring off-grid capability and resilience against frequent power outages. AI-driven system optimisation will also be a key focus of the project.

As prototype trials at Northumbria University have already demonstrated promising results, the project is poised to redefine cooling technology globally.

Dr Shahzad concluded: “Our co-designed solution will not only address the immediate needs of Pakistan and its vulnerable populations but also set a precedent for tackling similar challenges globally. Our multi-faceted strategy leverages low-cost, energy-efficient technologies, community-based initiatives, targeted training through a newly created International E-Centre for Sustainable Cooling, and policy support to ensure comprehensive and sustainable impact.”

Image: Bruno from Pixabay