INDUSTRY NEWS Solid Plastic Crystals Could Compete With Conventional Liquid Coolants CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND-Researchers have identified a solid that could replace the inefficient fluids used in most refrigerators and air conditioners. When put under pressure, plastic crystals of neopentylglycol (NPG) yield huge cooling effects-enough to make them competitive with conventional liquid coolants. Organic materials are easier to compress because of their chemical bonds. NPG has loose bonds in its microscopic structure, which allows the molecules to rotate relatively freely. Compressing NPG yields unprecedentedly large thermal changes due to molecular reconfiguration. 14 ASHRAE JOURNAL ashrae.org The temperature change achieved with NPGs is comparable with those achieved in hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrocarbons (HCs.) The word "plastic" in "plastic crystal" refers to its malleability. Lab Helps Address Shortage PHILADELPHIA, PA.-Johnson Controls opened its Commercial HVAC Pathways Vocational Lab in April. Johnson Controls' Pathways program provides a curriculum and HVAC labs to prepare students for an HVAC career to combat the industry's labor shortage by providing training for the future workforce. J U N E 2 0 19 Flexible Cement Could Heal Itself RICHLAND, WASH.- Cement used in geothermal wells is known to crack under pressure and in high-temperature environments associated with drilling for geothermal energy. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's self-healing cement uses a flexible ingredient, a polymer, to repair fractured surfaces and fill cracks. This minimizes mechanical failure risks and offers a sustainable energy source. The technology could eliminate the need to remove, repair and replace cracked cement wells.http://www.acrefine.com https://www.ashrae.org/