ME8712 – TECHNICAL SEMINAR

PRESENTATION ON THERMOELECTRIC, AIR,

MAGNETIC, VORTEX TUBE AND PULSE TUBE
REFIGERATION SYSTEMS

SUBMITTED BY
JENISH J (962818114029)
JENISH M J (962818114030)
SUBMITTED ON
LIBIN S (962818114034)
15/09/2021
SHIJU S (962818114049)
THERMOELECTRIC REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
 Today’s compression   refrigeration   system   has   given   very   goo d performance. But
refrigerants used in these systems are hazardous to the environment and human life,
because they react with very useful gas ozone (O3), thereby depleting ozone layer.  

 Thermo-electric refrigeration system can substitute vapor compression refrigeration system

for small-scale applications and act as solution of the problem above discussed. 

 Thermoelectric refrigeration is the process of pumping heat energy out of an insulated

chamber in order to reduce the temperature of the chamber below that of the surrounding
air. Thermoelectric refrigeration uses a principle called the "PELTIER" effect to pump heat
electronically.
BASIC PRINCIPLE
 Peltier Effect- when a voltage or DC current is applied
to two dissimilar conductors, a circuit can be created
that allows for continuous heat transport between the
conductor’s junctions.

 Seebeck Effect- is the reverse of the Peltier Effect. By

applying heat to two different conductors a current
can be generated.

 The current is transported through charge carriers

(opposite the hole flow or with electron flow).Heat
transfer occurs in the direction of charge carrier
movement. Applying a current (e- carriers) transports
heat from the warmer junction to the cooler junction
WORKING PRINCIPLE
 Thermoelectric cooling uses the Peltier effect to
create a heat flux between the junction of two
different types of materials.

 The two dissimilar conductors are doped in a

ceramic wafer this ceramic component is pielter
device for which produces the cooling effect
which we use it as component for refrigeration.
ADVANTAGES
 These are environment friendly. (No C.F.C)
 These are light in weight.
 Give fast temperature response.
 It is portable, small in size.

DISADVANTAGES
 Price Relegated to applications with low heat flux.
 Not as Efficient, in terms of COP

APPLICATIONS
 For preservation of insulin and other drugs.
 For preservation of food stuffs.
 Temperature control in missiles.
 Cooling computers.
 AIR REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
 Absorbing the heat from low temperature system and discharging the same to high
temperature system is done by air.

 The Basic element of the air refrigeration system:-

1. Compressor
2. Heat Exchanger
3. Expander
4. Referigerator or evaporator
WORKING PRINCIPLE
 The air refrigeration system works on Bell-Coleman cycle or Reversed Brayton Cycle.

 The air in turn is compressed, cooled in a heat exchanger, and expanded through a turbine
to a low temperature where it is capable of performing cooling.
Advantage:
 Air is a cheaper refrigerant and available easily compared to other refrigerants.
 There is no danger of fire ortoxic effects due to leakage.
 The total weight of the system per ton of refrigerating capacity is less.

Disadvantage:
 The quantity of air required per ton refrigerating capacity is far greater than other systems.

 The COP is low and hence maintenance cost is high.

Application:
 This type of refrigeration system used in Aircraft and rockets
 MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION
 Magnetic refrigeration is a cooling technology based on the magneto caloric effect.
 Invented by Emil Warburg in 1880
 Used to attain cryogenic temperatures well below 1 K with the help of magnetic fields

COMPONENTS
1. Magnets.
2. Hot heat exchanger.
3. Cold heat exchanger.
4. Drive.
5. Magneto caloric wheel.
WORKING PRINCIPLE
 Magneto caloric effect is the basic principle
on which the cooling is achieved.

 Magneto caloric effect is a magneto-

thermodynamic phenomenon in which a
reversible change in temperature of a suitable
material is caused by exposing the material to
a changing magnetic field

 This is called adiabatic demagnetisation .

ADVANTAGES
 High efficiency
 Reduced operating cost
 Reliability

DISADVANTAGES
 The initial investment is more as compared with conventional refrigeration.
 Protection of electronic components from magnetic fields.
 Electromagnets and superconducting magnets are expensive.

APPLICATIONS
 Cryogenic Engine
 Magnetic Domestic Refrigerator, Magnetic Air Conditioning in buildings and houses
 Refrigeration in medicine
 VORTEX TUBE REFRIGERATION
INTRODUCTION
Vortex tube is a non conventional cooling device, having
no moving parts which will produce cold air and hot air from
the source of compressed air without affecting the
environment.

COMPONENTS
1. Nozzle
2. Diaphragm
3. Valve
4. Hot air side
5. Cold air side
6. Chamber
7. Diffuser
WORKING
 Compressed air is passed through the nozzle. Air expands and
acquires high velocity due to particular shape of the nozzle.
 A vortex flow is created in the chamber and air travels in spiral
like motion along the periphery of the hot side. This flow is
restricted by the valve.
 When the pressure of the air near valve is made more than
outside by partly closing the valve, a reversed axial flow through
the core of the hot side starts from high-pressure region to low-
pressure region.
 During this process, heat transfer takes place between reversed
stream and forward stream.
 The cold stream is escaped through the diaphragm hole into the
cold side, while hot stream is passed through the opening of the
valve.
 By controlling the opening of the valve, the quantity of the cold
air and its temperature can be varied.
ADVANTAGES
 It uses air as refrigerant, so there is no leakage problem.
 Vortex tube is simple in design and it avoids control systems.
 There are no moving parts in vortex tube.
 It is light in weight and requires less space.
 Initial cost is low
 Maintenance is simple and no skilled labours are required.

DISADVANTAGES
 It has low co-efficient of performance COP.
 Required low pressure range.

APPLICATIONS
 Vortex tubes are extremely small and as it produce hot as well as cold air. It may be of use in
industries where both are simultaneously required.
 Temperature as low as –500C can be obtained without any difficulty, so it is very much useful
in industries for spot cooling of electronic components.
 It is commonly used for body cooling of the workers in mines.
 PULSE TUBE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION
 The pulse tube refrigerator (PTR) or pulse tube cryocooler is a developing technology that emerged
largely in the early 1980s with a series of other innovations in the broader field of thermoacoustics.
 In contrast with other cryocoolers (e.g. Stirling cryocooler and GM-refrigerators), this cryocooler
can be made without moving parts in the low temperature part of the device, making the cooler
suitable for a wide variety of applications.

COMPONENTS
1. Pulse tube
2. Regenerator
3. Valve mechanism
4. Vacuum system
5. Cooling system
The regenerator is main component of improving performance of pulse tube refrigerator. it is made up
of bronze wire mesh.
WORKING
It Consist of two processes:
1. Pressure buildup and heat rejection:
In this process valve admits high pressure gas through regenerator where air is cool. Then
the gas enters the tube where act as gas piston . The gas piston compresses the gas which
already present in the tube. Temperature of tube gas increases and it rejects heat to cooling
media water.
2. Pressure realizing and heat absorption:
The admitted gas in the first process is now connected to exhaust with the help of valve
mechanism, hence gas exhausted by realizing pressure. Now expansion of tube gas take place
and the lower temperature obtained at the cold end.

The performance of pulse tube depend on

a) Pulse Rate
b)Ratio of hot end length to total length of tube.
c) Temperature at cold end.
ADVANTAGES
 Less moving parts, so no maintenance and fewer losses
 Low power consumption
 Multi staging is possible.
 Longer life
 No lubrication required
 Can be used instead of cryogenic cycles

DISADVANTAGES
 Poor coefficient of performance (COP)
 COP depends on the length of the tube
 Tubes costly to manufacture.

APPLICATION
 Liquefaction of gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, helium, natural gas.
 SQUID magnetometers.
 Cooling of super-conducting magnets.
 Cooling of infrared sensors for missile guidance.
 Cryo vacuum pumps.
 Cryosurgery.
THANK YOU