Graphene used in new heating system

Louise Davis

Xefro has employed the services of European Circuits Limited (ECL) to design (hardware and software) and manufacture the electronics for its innovative heating system. Test systems are currently under trial, but Xefro expects this to be the world’s first commercial heating system using the new wonder material graphene.

Graphene has been selected for the heating element because of its potential for extremely efficient energy transfer. This is the basis of the company's expectations of reduced energy costs of up to 70%.

The heating system will consist of a Central Heating Controller that will communicate via RF signals to a Hot Water Controller and to the various zones, each zone consisting of a radiator or at least one heating element with AC Power Controller and separate temperature sensors. The user interface for the entire system will be via a mobile app.

All of the electronics for the system have been designed and produced entirely at ECL’s Glasgow-based facility. ECL offers the following services: PCB manufacture, PCB assembly, test, box build and design, and is one of the few companies that can provide this type of integrated service in the UK.

Graphene is being widely hailed as the latest wonder material with limitless potential applications across a wide spectrum of
industry.This is due to its impressive and valuable list of properties. But why use graphene for a heating system? The answer is simple: surface area. If we want to turn electrons into heat then we want all of that heat to get out into the room, not to go on heating up the heating material where it is wasted and reradiated inefficiently.

1.    High surface area = generates heat super efficiently

2.    Low thermal mass = instant heat, no wastage

3.    High conductivity = electrons travel at 1/10 the speed of light

100% of the electrical energy used by the Xefro intelligent heating system is converted into heat. As a result it is highly efficient, delivering considerable energy and cost reductions.

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