Discuss breakthrough made on technologies using water as working fluid and coordinated initiatives needed to develop and promote the implementation of energy technologies using water as working fluid in order to increase technologies maturity and accelerate the diffusion of these technologies.
Water is a lasting replacement for refrigerants currently used in heat pumps and chillers. It is well-known environmentally friendly medium that is economically attractive, easy to handle, safe to use and dispose afterwards. Thermodynamically, it is one of the best fluids to use as working fluid. Still, only a few commercialized technologies rely on this fluid. This is mainly due to the fact that several scientific and technological challenges remain to be overcome, and these challenges need to be addressed in a coordinated manner. Indeed, organized international collaboration is a key factor to advance research, improve technologies maturity (TRL), and, as a consequence, accelerate diffusion of the new technology. Except in Germany where a national network could be identified around water-based sorption systems, no international network has been identified for water as refrigerant. This workshop is thus the opportunity to discuss potential breakthrough made on technologies using water as primary working fluid and international initiatives that could be initiated to promote the use of this medium.
