Fig. 1: Design principle of intelligent auto-switched and zero-energy dual-mode radiative thermal management device. | Nature Communications

Fig. 1: Design principle of intelligent auto-switched and zero-energy dual-mode radiative thermal management device.

From: Temperature-dependent dual-mode thermal management device with net zero energy for year-round energy saving

Fig. 1: Design principle of intelligent auto-switched and zero-energy dual-mode radiative thermal management device.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

a Schematic illustration of the dual-mode radiative thermal management device switching between solar heating (left) and radiative cooling (right) with temperature. The dual-mode device (top) consists of three functional layers: radiative cooling layer, temperature-sensitive actuating layer, and solar heating layer (not to scale). b Absorptivity/emissivity spectrum of ideal solar heating (red line) and radiative cooling (blue line) materials. Normalized ASTM G173 Global solar spectrum (light-red area) and transparent infrared atmospheric window (US standard 1976, light-blue area) are plotted for reference. c Net heat flux as a function of the temperature of the ideal solar heating (red) and radiative cooling (blue) materials. Note that the heat flux is calculated by thermal balance relationship (Supplementary Note 1) based on the global solar spectrum (ASTM G173) and the typical transparent atmospheric window (US standard 1976). The steady-state temperature of the material is reached when net heat flux is zero. The thermal management power is the intersection corresponding to zero temperature difference between the material and the ambient, where positive heat flux and negative heat flux represent heating power and cooling power, respectively.

Back to article page