Field testing in Fairbanks to evaluate real-world cold-climate performance
Samsung Electronics said Sunday it is partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, to develop next-generation heating technology designed to operate reliably in extreme cold. The project aims to produce vapor-compression systems capable of maintaining stable heating performance at temperatures below minus 30 degrees Celsius, or minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat pumps have gained attention as an alternative to conventional heating systems because they transfer heat rather than generate it directly, potentially reducing energy use and carbon emissions. Performance in extremely cold climates, however, remains one of the major technical challenges for air-source heat-pump systems. The joint project is intended to address that limitation by developing technology capable of maintaining both heating capacity and efficiency as outdoor temperatures fall.
Vapor-compression technology uses a refrigerant that is compressed and circulated to transfer heat from outside a building to the interior. The approach can enable highly energy-efficient systems that provide heating, cooling and hot water from a single system, Samsung said.
Samsung plans to conduct the research through the first half of 2027 and then test the technology under extreme conditions in Alaska. Field testing is planned at the National Laboratory of the Rockies’ Alaska Campus in Fairbanks, a U.S. Department of Energy research campus focused on energy and building technologies for extreme climates.
Lim Sung-taek, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics’ Digital Appliances Business, said the project will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the company’s high-efficiency technology and equipment reliability under actual extreme-low-temperature conditions. “This collaboration will be an important opportunity to demonstrate Samsung’s unique high-efficiency technology and product reliability in real-world extreme cold,” Lim said. “Based on the research data, we will introduce heat-pump products to the global market that reduce carbon emissions while maximizing performance and energy efficiency.”
Oak Ridge National Laboratory has conducted extensive research into cold-climate heat pumps and vapor-compression technology. Recent research by the laboratory has demonstrated heat-pump systems operating in Alaska at outdoor temperatures as low as minus 34 degrees Celsius, or about minus 29 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fairbanks provides particularly demanding conditions for testing cold-climate heating systems. Temperatures in the region can fall to around minus 40 degrees Celsius, equivalent to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, while record lows have dropped below minus 50 degrees Celsius, or minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers plan to evaluate heating performance, energy efficiency, long-term operating reliability and hot-water performance during periods of extreme cold, with the testing intended to determine whether the technology operates reliably under real-world residential conditions.
Samsung said it ultimately plans to incorporate the technology into its heat-pump heating, ventilation and air-conditioning products.