1. Adsorptive Heat Transformation and Storage: Thermodynamic and Kinetic Aspects

At present, the majority of thermodynamic cycles of heat engines are high-temperature cycles that are realized by internal combustion engines, steam and gas turbines, etc. (Cengel, Boles in Thermodynamics: an engineering approach, 4th edn. McGray-Hill Inc., New York, 2002). Traditional heat engine cycles are mainly based on burning of organic fuel that may result in dramatic increase of CO₂ emissions and global warming. The world community has realized the gravity of these problems and taken initiatives to alleviate or reverse this situation. Fulfilment of these initiatives requires, first of all, the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources (e.g. the sun, wind, ambient heat, natural water basins, soil, air). These new heat sources have significantly lower temperature potential than that achieved by burning of fossil fuels which opens a niche for applying adsorption technologies for heat transformation and storage (Pons et al in Int J Refrig 22:5–17, 1999).