COCON (new type of heat pump)

Overview

COCON is a heat pump built on a proprietary thermodynamic cycle with no analogue worldwide. A conventional heat pump concentrates low-grade ambient heat — atmospheric, water, solar, geothermal — by raising its temperature, which requires additional external work, usually electrical. Thermodynamically that is most often a Carnot cycle with a maximum theoretical efficiency of 67 %.

COCON's cycle exceeds the known Carnot, Stirling and Kalina cycles. Theoretical conversion of thermal energy into mechanical energy is confirmed at more than 90–97 %, and low-grade heat can serve as the energy source across a range from 200 °C down to 0 °C. Unlike a conventional heat pump, COCON produces electrical energy at the output and requires no external energy source, which makes it fully autonomous — including on vehicles.

Applications

Industry. Utilization of heat from exhaust and flue gases of boilers, furnaces, turbines, internal combustion engines, various process installations and complexes, air conditioners and refrigeration units. Generating additional electricity raises their final efficiency without interfering with the design or increasing operating cost, while reducing environmental load.

Domestic. Autonomous generators providing both heat and electricity — not heating alone — for apartments, houses and comparable buildings.

Transport. Full autonomy from external energy sources permits use on any vehicle.

Operating Principle

A new method of converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, based on a know-how thermodynamic cycle. The efficiency of that conversion significantly exceeds the widely used Carnot, Stirling and Kalina cycles. Low-potential heat serves as the energy source across the 200 °C to 0 °C range, and the output includes electrical energy.

Limitations of the conventional heat pump that COCON addresses: dependence on external energy sources, meaning the process is not autonomous; inability to convert heat into other forms of energy; and a very small potential increase of only 30–40 °C.

Key Parameters

| Parameter | COCON | Conventional heat pump |

|---|---|---|

| Thermal-to-mechanical conversion | >90–97 % (theoretical) | Carnot cycle, max 67 % theoretical |

| Thermal-to-electrical conversion | >90 % | not possible |

| Heat source temperature range | 200 °C to 0 °C | — |

| Potential increase | — | 30–40 °C only |

| External energy source | not required — fully autonomous | required |

| Power range (project) | 5–20 kW to 200–300 kW | — |

| Electrical output | yes | no |

| Energy saving on heating | — | 60–70 % |

| Maintenance | practically none, with significant total service life | — |

| Toxic substances, hazardous fields, radiation | none | — |

Architecture and Components

The pump design is described as simple, which gives high service life and reliability with very low operating cost. The project covers a power range from 5–20 kW up to 200–300 kW with electrical energy at the output. No harmful processes are used; no toxic substances, dangerous fields or radiation are generated; there is no negative environmental impact.

Detailed component specification: [требует уточнения из базы]

Advantages

Stated competitive advantages:

1. Conversion of low-potential ambient heat into electrical energy.
2. Coefficient of conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy exceeding 90 %.
3. No external energy source required, giving complete autonomy including on vehicles.
4. Practically no maintenance, with significant total service life.
5. Simplicity and low manufacturing cost.

Applied to industry, the technology raises the final efficiency of existing equipment without redesigning it and without increasing operating cost, while cutting environmental load.

Integrations

Retrofits to existing heat sources without design intervention: boilers, furnaces, turbines, internal combustion engines, process installations, air conditioners and refrigeration units.

TERU · TELORISE (Electro-Thermal Energy Conversion) · EXTRACAP · BREEZER

Deployment & Operation

Installed on an existing heat source in industry, or as an autonomous heat-and-power generator in a building. Requires no external energy supply and practically no maintenance.

Deployment procedure and staffing: [требует уточнения из базы]

TRL

TRL 2 — проставлен Михаилом 2026-08-06.

The method is described as scientifically substantiated and confirmed by independent experts, and a project for the pump has been developed. No prototype or field data is recorded in the source.

Market Potential

[требует уточнения из базы]

The addressable case is every existing installation that rejects heat: boilers, furnaces, turbines, engines, air conditioners and refrigeration plant, plus autonomous heat and power for buildings and vehicles.

Typical Project Economics

Cost drivers stated qualitatively: simplicity and low manufacturing cost of the pump; very low operating cost; practically no maintenance.

Risk Factors

The 90–97 % conversion figure is stated as theoretical. The source records expert confirmation of the method but no prototype, test data, TRL rating or economics. A cycle claimed to exceed Carnot, Stirling and Kalina will require independent experimental validation before industrial acceptance.

Related Technologies

TERU · TELORISE (Electro-Thermal Energy Conversion) · BREEZER · EXTRACAP · ARBOK-HE