Lead Performer: Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Oak Ridge, TN
Partner: Be Power Tech Inc. – Deerfield Beach, FL
DOE Total Funding: $300,000
FY16 DOE Funding: $300,000
Cost Share: $100,000
Project Term: February 2016 – February 2017
Funding Type: Small Business Voucher (SBV) Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA)

Project Objective

This project’s objective is to bring a novel technology called the Combined Air Conditioner and Power (CACP) System to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. The CACP is an integrated fuel cell, with a liquid desiccant air-conditioning process. Once developed, the new technology will have higher air-conditioning efficiency, low-cost thermal energy storage, no net water requirement, zero toxic emissions, shift the air conditioning load away from the grid, and decrease building energy costs. The project scope is to design and test the CACP for better integration between buildings and the electrical grid.

Project Impact

The technology has the potential to lower the building operating energy cost from about $2.5/h to $0.40/h. The savings would be due to higher air conditioning efficiency, dehumidification, and thermal energy storage in a single packaged unit. This technology’s primary energy savings technical potential is 0.42 Quads/yr in 2030, per BTO’s P-Tool.

Contacts

DOE Technology Manager: Tony Bouza, Department of Energy
Lead Performer: Omar Abdelaziz, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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