International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics

Volume 118 No. 5 2018, 935-941

ISSN: 1311-8080 (printed version); ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version)
url: http://www.ijpam.eu
Special Issue
ijpam.eu

DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF THERMOELECTRIC COOLER CUM HEATER

B.Selva Babu1, Jithin Raj M2, Jobin Mathew3, Midhun Jacob4.

Email: selvababu@avit.ac.in
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering., Aarupadai Veedu Institute of technology
2
Principal, AVIT College
2-4
UG Students,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aarupadai Veedu Institute of
Technology.

KEYWORDS:- THERMOELECTRIC COOLER, REFIREGRATION AND FLUIDS

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ABSTRACT
It is the idea of producing a cooling and heating effect in one single chamber that shifts from its
maximum temperature to its minimum temperature just by adjusting a simply operated switching
button.This type of a device can find wide variety of application in medicinal, food and beverage
transportation commercially and also for house hold purposes. Travelers can make the best use
of it. This can work either with solar power or rechargeable batteries. Design and Fabrication
done on Thermoelectric cooler cum heater.
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1.INTRODUCTION major hazards to the environments are

Based on the working principle refrigeration
principle, refrigeration system can be
classified as vapour compression systems,
vapour absorption systems, gas cycle
systems etc. In 90% of applications in the
world, vapour compression system is used.
Air cycle and vapor absorption refrigeration
covers 5% and is covered using systems like
thermoelectric, magnetic, gas cycle, acoustic
and other refrigeration methods.
In recent years, with the increase of
the awareness towards environmental
degradation due to the production, use and
disposal of heat carrier (CFCs and HCFCs)
fluids is conventional refrigeration systems
has become a subject of great concern. The
stratospheric ozone layer depletion and the
greenhouse effect due to the presence of
CFCs and HCFCs in the troposphere.
Besides, these kinds of refrigeration systems
having limitation of use of grid power and
same cannot be utilized for remote
application.
Due to the advancement of technology and
science there are a lot of practical
application which require the functions of
both refrigerator and heater, that is cooling
and heating. Here, we demonstrate a novel
refrigerator cum heater which works on the
principle of therrmoelectric effect. Being
driven by thermoelectric holds a lot of
advantages like elimination of mechanical
components, light in weight, noise and
vibrationless operation, precise temperature

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control etc.. in spite of its lower COP compression systems.

compared to widely used vapour

2. PRINCIPLE
Thermoelectric systems are solid-state heat
devices that either convert heat directly into
electricity or transform electric power into
thermal power for heating or cooling, such
devices are based on electric effects
involving interactions between the now of
heat and electricity through solid bodies. A
discussion of thermoelectric effects and
devices should start with the most
fundamental phenomena. the Seebeck effect
A related effect( Peltier ettect) was
or thermo power. In the early 1800s, discovered a few years later by Peltier, who
Seebeck observed that if two dissimilar observed that if an electrical current passed
materials were joined together and the through the junction of two dissimilar
junctions were held at different temperatures materials, heat is either absorbed or rejected
at the junction depending direction of the
a voltage difference was developed that was
current. Two objects are considered to be in
proportional to the temperature difference thermal equilibrium if the exchange of heat
.The ratio of the voltage developed to the does not exist when they both are placed in
temperature gradient is related to an intrinsic contact. This fact, objects in the same
property of the materials called the Seebeck temperature are said to be in thermal. This is
called zeroth law of thermodynamics. Two
coefficient or the thermo power. The
objects at different placed in contact
Seebeck coefficient is very low for metals exchange energy in an attempt to establish
and much larger for Semiconductors. thermal. Any work done during this process
is the difference of heat lost by an object and
won by not object. This is the first law of
thermodynamics, in other words, energy are
always conserved.

3. DESIGN
The basic problem, apart from selection of
components, we were faced during the
design phase was the selection of proper
switching mechanism between the working

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modes that is cooling and heating, according 4. REQUREMENTS, SELECTION

to user's selection The options were AND SPECIFICATIONS
mechanical switching and micrometer
The hardware requirement or the is listed
switching, Due to less complexity and
and the selection criteria were planned. The
additional features, we selected
fully reversible. Changing the polarity of the
microcontroller switching system with two
DC power supply causes heat to be pumped
relays. The final design we reached after
in the opposite direction A cooler can then
Discussions and opinions is shown here.
become a heater.

Fig 3.1 Design of the system

suitable components considering various
factors are selected The major hardware
requirements of the system are listed below:

 Thermoelectric Module (TEM)

 Refrigerating cabin
 Insulation
Fig 4.1: Flow chart of module selection
 Battery
 Cooling fan and heat sink
 Microcontroller 5. WORKING
 Temperature sensor Thermoelectric refrigeration replaces the
 Display panel three main working parts with a cold
 Temperature input unit junction, a heat sink and a DC power source.
The refrigerant in both liquid and vapour
form is replaced by two dissimilar
conductors. The cold junction (evaporator

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International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue

surface) become scold through absorption of used for mounting:

energy by the electrons as they pass from 7.1.1 Mechanical mounting
one semiconductor to another instead of
energy absorption by the refrigerant as it A thermoelectric module is placed between
changes from liquid to vapour. The two heat exchangers (plates) fixed by
compressor is replaced by a DC power screws or bolts.
source which pumps the electrons from one
semiconductor to another. From the battery 7.1.2 Adhesive bonding
the power is delivered to Peltier modules
connected in parallel each attached to their
respective heat sinks.

6. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
A bottle of water is taken and placed inside
the aluminium cabin. The cabin is kept open
for some times to pass air to cabin. The
temperature sensor is placed inside the bottle
dip in the water to measure the temperature
of water. Now, using the system the water is
cooled from 31’c to 24’c and the time taken
Fig 7.1 Adhesive bondng or glueing
for it is noted. Next, the system in heating
mode, the water is brought to 31’c from
A thermoelectric module is attached to a
24’c.
header/heat sink or an object to be cool is
mounted on to a module by a
7. FABRICATION
thermoconductive glue. The thermal contact
For getting perfect insulation, a cool box
and mechanical durability strongly depend
having thermocol insulation and gaskets is
on glue used. As a rule these are epoxy glue
selected.
with different fillers which are called to
7.1 TEM MOUNTING provide a good thermal conductivity. The
method of adhesive bonding is referred to
The efficiency of thermoelectric module
methods or rigid fixing. Therefore the
assembly as a whole depends on the quality
thermal expansion agreement of contacting
mounting an object to be cooled onto a
materials (ceramics of the module, heat-
thermoelectric module and a thermoelectric
removing surface and a material of a cooled
module onto heat rejecting elements. There
object) is necessary.
are three widely applied methods that can be

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8. ADVANTAGES
1. No moving parts
The main component of this system is
thermoelectric module. It is the component
that causes refrigerating effect and heating
in the cabin on changing be polarity of
supply.
2. Simple and fewer parts required
The thermoelectric refrigerator cum beating
cabin is made of parts such as thermoelectric
module, heat sink, fan, sensor etc. Thus the
system is simple and fewer parts are
required.
3. No leakage problem
No refrigerants are used in this system for
refrigeration purpose. Thus no leakage
problem will occur. As a result accidents
like fire hazards etc. can be reduced.
9. APPLICATIONS
9.1 MEDICAL APPLICATIONS
It can be used in medical field as vaccine
carrier and also for organ transportation. We
can store insulin, polio vaccine, blood,
spleen etc. in the system. Nowadays cold
boxes are used for organ transportation
which mainly makes use of ice. But precise
temperature control cannot be maintained
and mechanical breakdown of the cells
occur in that system. But our system
eliminates these drawbacks.
9.2 MILITARY APPLICATIONS
This system can be used to transport military
equipments which are prone to temperature
variations. It can also be used to transport
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food and beverages at required temperature
9.3 SPORTS FIELD
It can be used in sports to store drinks and
food for players to prevent the decaying
andalso to keep them fresh for use.
10. CONCLUSIONS
The portable thermoelectric refrigerator cum
beater has been able to successfully achieve
the objectives such as portability,
implementation of dual mode operation
Cheating and cooling) in the same cabin,
and noise free operation without any
environmental impacts. The COP of the
refrigerating system while cooling is
obtained as o 305 and that of beating mode
is 0.6095. The life of the system will be
more as there are no moving components in
the system and also maintenance will be
less. The system which combines heating
and cooling mode in the same cabin finds a
wide range of application. The system can
be easily charged using different power
sources such as AC supply using battery
adapter, power from solar panel or it can be
charged using adapter provided from cigar
lighter ports in cars. Without causing any
harm to the environment the system paves a
foundation for the innovations in the field of
non-conventional refrigeration methods and
"green" methods of refrigeration.
11. REFERENCES
1.Surith Nivas M, Vishnu Vardhan D, M
Kumar PH, Sai Prasad, Ramya K.
International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Special Issue

Photovoltaic Driven Dual Purpose

Thermoelectric Refrigerator for Rural India
Dual purpose TE refrigerator, International
Journal of Advancements in Research
&Technology, Volume 2, Issue 6, June-
2013.
2. Manoj Kumar Rawat, Lal Gopal Das,
Himadri Chattopadhyay and subhasis Neogi.
An Experimental Investigation. On
Thermoelectric Refrigeration system: A
Potential GreenRefrigeration Technology,
TE refrigerator, Journal of Research And
Environmental Development vol. 6 No. 4.
April-June 2012.
3.Er. R. K Rajput, A Text book of
Refrigeration and Air-conditioning, S.K
Kataria and sons publication, New Delhi,
2013.
4. Dr. R. S Khurumi, J. K Gupta, A Text
book of Refrigeration and Air-conditioning.
Eurasia Publishing house, New Delhi, 2013.

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