[Edaily Reporter Cho Yong Seok ] SamsungElectronics announced on the 9th that it is partnering with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Energy, to develop next-generation heating technology capable of operating reliably even in environments below minus 30 degrees Celsius.

The core objective of this research project—"Development of Vapor-Compression Heating and Multi-Solutions for Cold Regions"—is to implement vapor-compression technology that delivers efficient and stable heating performance even in environments below -30°C.

Vapor compression, the core of a heat pump, is an energy conversion technology that utilizes the property of a refrigerant to absorb and release heat as it transitions between liquid and gas states within a compressor.

The refrigerant, having absorbed heat from the outside, is compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas as it passes through the compressor, and the heat generated at this stage is transferred to indoor air or water via a heat exchanger. After releasing this heat, the refrigerant returns to a liquid state and absorbs heat from the outside again; this cycle repeats to provide heating, cooling, and hot water.

However, vapor compression technology has the limitation that its performance declines as the outdoor temperature drops. For this reason, it is particularly important to develop next-generation vapor compression technology with higher heating performance and reliability in cold regions—such as North America and Northern Europe, where temperatures can drop below -30°C.

Furthermore, given the phenomenon of global climate anomalies, this research is necessary because the number of regions experiencing extremely low winter temperatures is expected to increase.

SamsungElectronics plans to further enhance performance by applying a rotary scroll mechanism to the compressor.

Unlike conventional methods, where a piston compresses refrigerant through linear motion, the scroll method uses two intermeshing scrolls that rotate to compress the refrigerant. SamsungElectronics explains that this design results in lower energy loss and higher stability compared to existing methods, making it ideal for heating in cold regions where long-term operation is required.

SamsungElectronics plans to demonstrate the technology at the field test lab of the National Laboratory of the Rockies, located in Fairbanks, Alaska. Fairbanks is a cold region where the average monthly minimum temperature hovers around minus 40 degrees Celsius, and the all-time low has dropped below minus 50 degrees Celsius. It is the ideal location for verifying product performance.

Through this research, SamsungElectronics plans to strengthen its leadership in vapor-compression heating technology and actively respond to the global trend toward heating electrification. The company also intends to expand the application of this technology to various HVAC products in the future, such as dual-purpose heating and cooling system air conditioners and heat pump boilers.

Lim Seong-taek, Executive Vice President of SamsungElectronics’ DA Business Division, said, “This collaboration will serve as a crucial opportunity to demonstrate Samsung’s unrivaled high-efficiency technology and device reliability in actual extreme cold environments.” He added, “Based on the research data, we will introduce heat pump products to the global market that maximize performance and energy efficiency while reducing carbon emissions.”