10:45, 15 November 2025

Russia Has Developed a Unique Frost‑Resistant Ventilation System

Russian engineers have created the world’s first supply‑and‑exhaust ventilation system with a heat recuperator that can operate in extreme cold—down to −90°C—paving the way for major energy savings and new construction possibilities in the Arctic.

A Breakthrough for Cold‑Climate Ventilation

Russia has developed the world’s first ventilation system equipped with a recuperator capable of functioning without freezing at temperatures as low as −90°C. The unique continuous self‑defrosting mechanism solves a critical problem in cold‑climate ventilation: icing of the heat exchanger. The innovation can reduce both total and peak energy consumption for heating buildings by up to 70 percent and opens new opportunities for construction in Arctic regions.

Presented at the scientific and industrial forum “Golden Valley,” the installation is based on an innovative recuperator that combines the advantages of plate and rotary models. Its key feature is the ability to fight ice buildup automatically, without performance loss.

Self‑Defrosting Technology

“All recuperators freeze—that’s physics. But unlike others, our heat exchanger rotates at a specific speed—about one rotation per hour—moving the iced‑over sections from the cold zone into the warm zone, where they naturally thaw,” explained Vladimir Fedorov, a graduate of Novosibirsk State University and founder of the developer company Hyplar.

Thanks to this mechanism, the system maintains a consistently high efficiency rate of around 70 percent, regardless of outside temperature or indoor humidity. This fundamentally changes how building energy systems are designed, allowing engineers to plan for smaller, more cost‑effective heating capacities.

Modular Architecture and the Desi‑Chain Mechanism

“The distinctive feature of the control electronics is its modular architecture. It can be expanded with any number of modules, adding new functions or additional boards. The architecture is built on a unified bus with a desi‑chain mechanism that enables seamless integration of various modules,” noted Ilya Yepishin, head of the development team from the Faculty of Information Technologies at Novosibirsk State University.

The hardware‑software system manages all processes: it monitors temperature, rotates the rotor, tracks filter conditions, and activates the energy‑saving ‘Breeze’ mode, which cools air without using an air conditioner. Digital control makes the system flexible and scalable for buildings of any size—from private homes to large industrial facilities.

Industry and import substitution