THERMOELECTRIC

REFRIGIRATOR
BY
GURPREET SINGH(2K20/ME/101)
Introduction :-

• The compression refrigeration system of today has provided excellent

results. However, the refrigerants employed in these systems are
dangerous to the environment and human life because they react with the
highly important gas ozone (O3), causing the ozone layer to be depleted.

• For small-scale applications, thermo-electric refrigeration systems can

replace vapour compression refrigeration systems and provide a solution
to the problem stated above.

• Thermo-electric cooling is a solid-state heat transfer technology that is

primarily based on the use of different semiconductor materials.
• To understand the cooling process, it is necessary to first understand the
differences between thermoelectric cooling systems and their
conventional refrigeration counterparts. It follows the same
thermodynamic laws as traditional refrigeration. Only the cooling system
itself is different.

• The evaporator, condenser, and compressor are the major working

sections of a traditional refrigeration system. The liquid refrigerant boils,
turns to vapour, and absorbs heat energy on the evaporator surface. The
compressor circulates the refrigerant and exerts sufficient pressure to
raise the temperature above the ambient temperature. The condenser
aids in the release of absorbed heat into the atmosphere.
THERMO ELECTRIC REFRIGIRATION
• In terms of Thermo-Electric
refrigeration, almost nothing has
changed. Two different conductors
replace the refrigerant in both liquid
and vapour form.
• The cold junction (evaporator
surface) cools down by the electrons
absorbing energy as they pass from
one semiconductor to the next, rather
than the refrigerant absorbing energy
as it transitions from liquid to vapour.
• A DC power source replaces the
compressor, pumping electrons from
one semiconductor to the next.
• The traditional condenser fins are replaced by a heat sink, which discharges
the system's stored heat energy.

• The difference between the two refrigeration technologies is that a thermo-

electric cooling system uses no mechanical equipment and does not use a
refrigerant.
Concepts
PELTIER EFFECT
A thermoelectric generator can be made from a Peltier cooler. When used as a
cooler, a voltage is delivered across the device, causing a temperature
difference to form between the two sides.

When used as a generator, one side of the device is heated to a higher

temperature than the other, causing a voltage differential to develop between
the two sides.
SEEBECK EFFECT

When the two junctions of a pair of dissimilar metals are maintained at different
temperatures, there is the generation of emf (electromotive force).He conducted a
series of tests by varying the temperatures of the junctions of various
combinations of a set of materials. The emf output was found to be:
ΔE α ΔT……………………………...(1)

Where ΔE and ΔT the emf output and the temperature difference of the junctions.
The phenomenon of generation of emf is called Seebeck effect the proportionality
constant of Eq.1is denoted by
αab = ΔE / ΔT……………………….(2)

and is called Seebeck coefficient or the thermo electric power. It is to be noted

that αab(αa- αb) is the coefficient for a pair of different metals (A and B or P and N
or p and n).
PRINCIPLE

The thermoelectric refrigerator works on the

PELTIER effect that The Peltier–Seebeck effect, or
thermoelectric effect, is the direct conversion of
thermal differentials to electric voltage and vice
versa. Related effects are the Thomson effect and
Joule heating. The Peltier–Seebeck and Thomson
effects are reversible (in fact, the Peltier and
Seebeck effects are reversals of one another);
Joule heating cannot be reversible under the laws
of thermodynamics.
 WORKING
• A horizontal array of thermo-electric cells is arranged in a
horizontal array, which is then encased in electrical
insulator plates.
• Each thermo-electric cell is made up of a pair of different
semi-conductors (known as modules) connected at both
ends by electrical conductors.
• When an electric current passes through them, one of the
plates heats up and the other cools down.
• The opposing plate can reach a low temperature or
excess heat on a continuous basis if the heated plate is
adequately cooled.
• A Peltier module's Coefficient of Performance (COP) is
calculated in the same way as a conventional refrigeration
system:
• Coefficient of Performance is calculated by dividing the rate of heat extraction
by the electrical power input.
• A high thermo-electric coefficient to generate the cooling effect, a high
electrical conductivity to suppress Ohmic heating, and a low thermal
conductivity to prevent much heat being conducted from the hot side of the
module to the cold side of the module are all critical materials parameters to
ensure a high COP.
ADVANTAGES

These are environment friendly.

01 (No C.F.C) 02 These are light in weight.

04 It is portable, small in size.

03 Give fast temperature response.

Have no vibrations & Creates no

05 noise.
DISADVNTAGES

Regulated to applcations with low

heat flux

Not as efficient in terms of COP

Costly
CONCLUSION
Ø The coefficient of performance of this refrigerator is much smaller than that of a conventional
compressor-type refrigerator when the required cooling capacity is high, whereas the coefficient of
performance of the conventional unit falls off rapidly as the cooling capacity is decreased
and that of thermo electric unit remains constant. Thus a conventional refrigerator is preferred
when the required cooling capacity is high and a thermoelectric refrigerator should be chosen
when a low cooling capacity is needed. The cold side of the thermoelectric module was utilized
for refrigeration purposes whereas the rejected heat from the hot side of the module was eliminated
using heat sinks and fans
Ø As the cooling units are of small size, silent, contains no liquids or gases, have no moving parts and
have a long life. It is very simple to control the rate of cooling by adjustment of the current, the
response to changes in the supply is very rapid, while reversal of the direction of the current
transforms a cooling unit into a heater with a coefficient of performance in excess of unity i.e. a heat
pump for oven. In this work, a portable compressor less refrigerator unit was fabricated and tested
for the cooling purpose
Ø This is completely eco-friendly project Multipurpose and Portable