Design and development of thermoelectric refrigerator

The global increasing demand for refrigeration in the field of refrigeration, air-conditioning, food preservation, vaccine storages, medical services and cooling of electronic devices led to the production of more electricity and consequently more release of CO₂ all over the world, which is a contributing factor for global warming on climate change. Thermoelectric refrigeration is a new alternative because it can convert waste electricity into useful cooling system, and is expected to play an important role in meeting today's energy challenges. Therefore, thermoelectric refrigeration is greatly needed with long life and low maintenance, particularly in developing countries. The objectives of this study are design and develop a working thermoelectric refrigerator with interior cooling volume of 5L that utilizes the Peltier effect to refrigerate and maintain at a selected temperature, i.e., from 5°C to 25°C. The design requirements are to cool this volume to temperature within a time period of 6 hours and provide retention for at least next half an hour. The design requirement, options available and the final design of thermoelectric refrigerator for application are presented in this study.