A thermoelectric domestic refrigerator has been developed, with a single compartment
of 0.225m
3
, for food preservation at 5ºC. The cooling system is made up of two equal
thermoelectric devices, each composed of a Peltier module (50W) with its hot side in
contact with a two-phase and natural convection thermosyphon (TSV) and a two-phase and
capillary lift thermosyphon (TPM), in contact with the cold side.
The entire refrigerator has been simulated and designed using a computational model,
based on the finite difference method. Subsequently an experimental optimization phase of
the thermosyphons was carried out, untilthermal resistance values of RTSV=0.256K/W and
RTPM=0.323K/W were obtained. These values were lower than those obtained with finned
heat sinks.
Finally, a functional prototype of a thermoelectric refrigerator was built, and the results
which were obtained demonstrate that it is able to maintain a thermal drop (Ambient
Temperature – Inside Temperature) of 19ºC. The electric power consumption at nominal
conditions was 45W, reaching a COP value of 0.45. The study demonstrated that by
incorporating these two-phase devices into thermoelectric refrigeration increases the COP
by 66%, compared with those which use finned heat sinks.