Multi-physical simulative study on multi-stage cascaded elastocaloric cooling systems

Elastocaloric cooling represents a promising alternative to conventional vapor-compression based cooling methods, offering an eco-friendly, efficient, and versatile solution to address the growing demands of sustainable cooling technologies. In this conference presentation we delve into a simulation-based approach that explores cascading concepts within elastocaloric systems.

This cooling technology based on shape memory alloys utilizes the caloric effect generated by the stress-induced phase transformation of shape memory alloy materials. The selection of these materials with desirable properties is a key factor in the optimization process of elastocaloric cooling devices. Through simulations, we assess their suitability for various applications, considering factors such as hysteresis, efficiency, and latent heat.

Today's available binary Nickel-Titanium already shows temperature gradients of +/- 20 K in a single adiabatic elastocaloric cycle, which can already cover a wide range of applications. An important field for cooling today is the automotive sector with electric cars and temperature management of the battery systems. Thus, this study focuses on simulation-based design of cascading elastocaloric systems, which involve multi-stage designs, each optimized to exploit different temperature ranges.

The interplay between materials for different operating conditions plays a significant role in identifying optimal performance parameters. By systematically varying the cascading configurations, we uncover crucial insights of how the performance metrics evolve, offering valuable guidance for optimizing elastocaloric cooling systems.

Our research contributes to the development of sustainable and energy-efficient cooling solutions, providing a deeper understanding of elastocalorics and different cooling system approaches.