While this won't replace regular chimney maintenance or eliminate the need for proper venting systems, it's an important step toward making chimneys more sustainable.
The new laboratories, in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, will research a variety of LG’s heat-pump solutions, including both ducted and ductless indoor and outdoor units.
The Global Heat Pump Consortium is made up of LG-led heat-pump research and development groups established in Alaska, Oslo, Norway, and Harbin, China. The consortium also includes a South Korean cluster, with LG working collaboratively with universities in Seoul and Busan.
The new space includes specialized areas for aerospace and defense engineering and manufacturing equipment, and sections for prototyping, testing, and quality inspection.
The company aims to develop regionally specialized core technologies, optimized for the cold climate of Northern Europe, through the newly established European Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research.
The partnership is intended to facilitate collaboration among LG innovators, university researchers, local industry, and government agencies to help drive market transformation through research on heat pump technology and electrification.
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology Institute
will lead a research project to characterize the heat-transfer and pressure-drop performance of new low-GWP refrigerants.