Sunway University, Sunway Innovation Labs (Sunway iLabs) and Daikin Refrigeration Malaysia are trialling graphene-based nano-fluid in industrial chillers to reduce energy consumption.
Sunway University said the chiller had reduced daily energy consumption by up to 10 per cent (kwH) consistently over a trial period of one-month.
The nano-fluid results in almost 40 per cent faster heat transfer in a much shorter period of time, according to the trial results.
The chiller consumes less energy as it reaches the setpoint temperature faster.
Chillers are one of the largest electricity consumers in a building accounting for up to 40 per cent of a building's total energy use.
The university said the proprietary heat transfer nanofluid which improved energy efficiency in industrial applications was developed by Sunway University's Graphene and Advanced 2D Materials Research Group (GAMRG).
Sunway University head of GAMRG and principal researcher of the project Professor Mohammad Khalid said the new graphene-based nano-fluid has better cooling performance, lower electricity consumption, extends life of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment while keeping maintenance costs down.
He said air conditioners use refrigerants and consume large amounts of electricity, resulting in gaseous emissions that contribute to global warming and ozone layer depletion.
"Our graphene-based invention is an energy-efficient heat transfer nanofluid that has been proven effective in both the laboratory and real life and it is safe for use in industry chillers,” Khalid said.
Sunway iLabs head Karen Lau said the team are looking for partners to commercialise the graphene based nano fluid.
"This includes companies who would like to adopt this technology to improve their energy utilisation and to move a step closer to becoming a carbon-neutral organisation," she said.