| TOPICAL REVIEW — Multiferroicity and multicaloric effects |
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Review of elastocaloric cooling systems and their performance |
| Yao Wang(王尧)1,2,† and Suxin Qian(钱苏昕)1,‡ |
1 Department of Refrigeration and Cryogenic Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China;
2 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China |
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Abstract Elastocaloric cooling offers a solid-state alternative to conventional vapor-compression systems by leveraging stress-induced phase transitions in materials like shape-memory alloys (SMAs). This review comprehensively analyzes the development and performance of elastocaloric cooling systems to date. We explain the thermodynamic mechanisms and material requirements, emphasizing challenges such as low latent heat and fatigue life. Subsequently, we categorize and compare thermal contact and heat-transfer-fluid (HTF)-based prototypes, discussing their achievements in temperature span and cooling power. The technical maturity of elastocaloric cooling systems is not comparable to that of commercial vapor-compression systems yet in terms of coefficient of performance (COP) and practicality. We further explore innovative approaches like work recovery, modular design, and novel loading modes (e.g., torsion) to bridge application gaps. The review concludes that elastocaloric cooling holds promise for sustainable refrigeration, though material fatigue, system COP, and heat transfer efficiency remain critical bottlenecks for future research.
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Received: 25 November 2025
Revised: 06 January 2026
Accepted manuscript online: 12 January 2026
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PACS:
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75.30.Sg
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(Magnetocaloric effect, magnetic cooling)
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65.40.G-
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(Other thermodynamical quantities)
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44.27.+g
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(Forced convection)
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44.10.+i
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(Heat conduction)
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| Fund: This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. U2441272 and 52376015) and the HE Science Foundation. |
Corresponding Authors:
Yao Wang, Suxin Qian
E-mail: refwangy@gmail.com;qiansuxin@xjtu.edu.cn
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Cite this article:
Yao Wang(王尧) and Suxin Qian(钱苏昕) Review of elastocaloric cooling systems and their performance 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 077503
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