TMCnet News
Tiny particles may cut cost of central heating(Yorkshire Post Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Chris Benfield Science and Technology Correspondent Nanotechnology, the science of engineering on a microscopic scale, may be on the verge of achieving something we all understand - cheaper central heating. A Leeds University team has been working on the discovery that "nano-fluids", made by mixing ultra-tiny particles into liquids, will transmit heat much better than any of the materials involved will do on their own. A water-based nano-fluid could pass heat into radiators four times faster than ordinary water - meaning pumps and/or radiators could be smaller and cheaper to run. The potential efficiency savings are big enough to make mass production of suitable fluids feasible and it is possible that domestic and commercial heating systems could be using the idea within five years. Another potential application is in cooling systems - for electronics as well as for engines and buildings. One of the difficulties in miniaturising computing power is the heat generated by closely-packed circuits. Chemical engineers Richard Williams and Yulong Ding have been working on fluids which will stay stable in extreme conditions and in the smallest and largest of channels. According to this month's edition of the university newspaper, they are "talking to industrial partners about moving towards large-scale production" - but are reluctant to give more details. Prof Williams said: "Very tiny particles have different properties to bulk materials. A bar of gold melts at 1300C, for example, but if I took nano-particles of gold, I might find they would melt at 200C. "So we set out to explore these different properties in various circumstances. "We have been working with particles of copper oxide and carbon nano-tube which are about 100th of the thickness of a human hair. "Our next job is to prove that the fluids can be disposed of safely when necessary. We don't believe there are major problems but we have to prove it." [email protected] |