Samsung, Oak Ridge National Laboratory testing cold climate vapor compression heat pump tech

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have begun testing a cold-climate vapor-compression heat pump technology that Samsung says can maintain stable heating performance at temperatures below minus 30 C.

The Cold Climate Vapor Compression Space Heating and Multi-functional Equipment research project will assess vapor-compression technology that uses refrigerant phase changes to absorb and release heat. In the system, the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outdoor environment before being compressed into a high-temperature, high-pressure gas. The heat is then transferred to indoor air or water through a heat exchanger. The refrigerant subsequently condenses into a liquid and repeats the cycle, enabling heating, cooling and hot-water production, according to Samsung.

Samsung said vapor-compression technology faces performance limitations at low ambient temperatures, with efficiency declining as outdoor temperatures fall. To improve compressor performance, the company is using a rotary mechanism to compress the refrigerant through the continuous orbital motion of a scroll component. According to Samsung, the design reduces energy losses and improves operational stability, making it suitable for heating applications in cold climates that require continuous operation.

The company is also applying flash injection, a refrigerant-control technology intended to maintain performance and prevent compressor overheating. During prolonged operation, the system monitors thermal efficiency and, when necessary, injects additional refrigerant into the compressor. Samsung said this helps maintain stable operation and heating performance under low-temperature conditions.

The technology will be tested at the Field Test Lab operated by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in Fairbanks, Alaska.

“Fairbanks is a cold area with an average monthly minimum temperature of around minus 40 C and an all-time low temperature of minus 50 C, making it the best place to verify product performance and reliability in extreme environments,” Samsung said.

“This collaboration will be an important opportunity to prove Samsung’s unique high-efficiency technology and device reliability in a cryogenic environment,” said Sung-taek Lim, vice president of Samsung Electronics’ DA division. “Based on research data, we will introduce heat pump products that maximize performance and energy efficiency while reducing carbon emissions.”

Samsung did not disclose further technical details about the vapor-compression technology.