In Italy, the domestic heating It is one of the main sources of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Residential and commercial buildings contribute significantly to air pollution, and the transition to more sustainable solutions is an increasingly urgent challenge.
Heat pumps are already gaining space compared to gas boilers, but most of those available today use refrigerant fluids which, although more efficient than fossil fuels, can still have a significant environmental impact.
For this reason, alternative technologies are being studied. Among these is the thermo -acoustic heat pump developed by the French start-up Equiumwhich uses the sound to generate heat without the use of gas or mechanical parts.
How it works
The principle on which this technology is based is that of thermo -acoustica physical phenomenon that allows you to convert the sound into thermal energy.
In practice, inside the heat pump is used heliuma gas with a good heat transfer capacity. The sound waves make it expand and contract cyclically, generating temperature variations that allow you to heat an environment.
Compared to traditional heat pumps, this system does not require compressors or refrigerant fluidsreducing the risk of losses of polluting gases and lowering maintenance costs.
Advantages and limits: can it really compete with traditional heat pumps?
One of the strengths of this technology is the silence. Traditional heat pumps can generate up to 60 noise decibelwhile the Equium system, operating at a fixed frequency in a confined environment, is much more discreet.
The absence of mechanical parts subject to wear could guarantee a duration of more than 30 yearsa significantly higher value than the 10-20 years current heat pumps.
Also from the point of view of theenvironmental impacteliminating refrigerant gases is an advantage, since many of these have a high global warming potential (GWP).
However, some open questions remain:
- Energy efficiency: Equium declares that its technology has a Seasonal performance coefficient (Scopo) Superior Compared to traditional heat pumps, but independent tests are needed to confirm it.
- Initial cost: the estimated price is between the 15,000 and 20,000 eurosa significant investment compared to the alternatives already available.
- Availability: the product is not yet on the market and marketing is expected only from 2026.
According to current information, Equium thermo -acoustic heat pump will be available starting from 2026after a test phase to check its performance.
The cost, as mentioned, could be an obstacle for many users, even if the long duration and low maintenance could compensate for the initial investment in the long run. To make technology more accessible, the start-up is also evaluating rental solutionswhich could reduce the initial economic impact.
It remains to be seen if this system will be able to impose itself as a real alternative to traditional heat pumps, both in terms of efficiency that of dissemination on the market.
