Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Fluid Mechanics has applied its near-isothermal technology to an existing heat pump cycle called the Stirling cycle. The Stirling cycle can be used for both heat engines and heat pumps. Currently the Stirling cycle only has niche heat pump applications such as cryocoolers (producing liquid nitrogen from air). By applying the near isothermal technology to the Stirling cycle, it is possible to make a heat pump which has similar heating/cooling capacity to the vapour compressor cycle while being significantly more energy efficient. Fluid Mechanics’ system is demonstrating potential efficiencies up to 75%, although in a practical machine efficiencies of between 50 to 60% of Carnot are expected.
Fluid Mechanics has applied its near-isothermal technology to an existing heat pump cycle called the Stirling cycle. The Stirling cycle can be used for both heat engines and heat pumps. Currently the Stirling cycle only has niche heat pump applications such as cryocoolers (producing liquid nitrogen from air). By applying the near isothermal technology to the Stirling cycle, it is possible to make a heat pump which has similar heating/cooling capacity to the vapour compressor cycle while being significantly more energy efficient. Fluid Mechanics’ system is demonstrating potential efficiencies up to 75%, although in a practical machine efficiencies of between 50 to 60% of Carnot are expected.
