Towards net zero: harnessing the “hidden” energy of latent heat

Abstract

Aligned with the United Nation’s sustainable development goal 13, dealing with climate action, achieving net-zero systems is among the global challenges, demanding urgent, innovative solutions to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint. One promising solution is harnessing latent heat – a somewhat hidden form of energy that is crucial during phase transitions, including the change from solid to liquid or liquid to gas. Key processes that involve latent heat include melting, boiling, condensation, and solidification. Thermal energy systems, being reliant on the transfer and storage of heat, are central to discussions on global energy demand. Heat, being a primary means of energy transfer, dictates many applications across several sectors, including industrial processes, transportation, and building climate control. Approximately 50% of global energy consumption is used for thermal purposes. Since the energy associated with phase change is stored and released at relatively fixed temperatures, utilising latent heat presents an opportunity to improve energy efficiency and thermal regulation effectiveness. Technologies using phase change processes have considerable potential to reduce energy consumption and provide low-carbon and even net-zero energy alternatives. This presentation delves into the concept of latent heat, emphasising its hidden power and transformative role in advancing a greener, sustainable future. A brief overview will be presented of some of my contributions towards flow-based phase change processes to enhance energy flow; followed by the impact of new heat transfer fluids and opportunities to further integrate complementary phase change energy storage mechanisms.