Waste and biomass which include large volumes of moisture from sludge and garbage is hard to process and output in excess amounts by society, resulting in demands for innovative techniques for achieving its reduction and recycling.

We have been conducting research and development into revolutionary energy-saving vapor compression and condensation (VCC) technologies that compress vapor produced in the evaporation process, and continually recover condensation latent heat to reuse in evaporation; the theoretical design is complete and prototype experiments have been performed. Furthermore, we are researching how to improve efficiency of small-scale vapor compressors that are the key to making this technology commercially viable.

Application to a wide range of processes involving compression and condensation, such as drying and concentration is possible. For example, it can be used to reduce and recycle food waste, livestock excreta and sewage sludge, and for wet biomass including microalgae. It is possible to develop new energy-saving technologies for a range of sectors, like technology for recovering exhaust heat to produce steam from hot water.

In addition to original vapor cooling open cycle heat pump technology, small-sized vapor compressors are an as yet undeveloped area, so this technology, if made commercially viable, could lead to the development of a new market.

Sponsord research, Collaboration research