naa a22 4500 510802214 CHVBK 20180411083400.0 cr unu---uuuuu 180411e20130701xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11664-012-2298-9 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11664-012-2298-9 Reduction in the Electric Power Consumption of a Thermoelectric Refrigerator by Experimental Optimization of the Temperature Controller [Elektronische Daten] [A. Martínez, D. Astrain, A. Rodríguez, G. Pérez] Most thermoelectric refrigerators used for food conservation are operated by on/off temperature controllers, because of their simplicity and low cost. This type of controller poses a major problem: when the inner temperature reaches the lower setpoint and the thermoelectric modules are switched off, a great amount of the heat stored in the heat exchanger at the hot end of the modules goes back into the refrigerator, by heat conduction through the modules and the heat extender. This effect significantly increases the electric power consumption of the refrigerator. This work studies experimentally the influence of different temperature control systems on the electric power consumption and coefficient of performance of a thermoelectric refrigerator: an on/off controller, a proportional-integral-derivative controller, and a novel operating system based on idling voltages. The latter provides voltage to the modules once the inner temperature reaches the lower setpoint, instead of switching them off, preventing heat from going back. A prototype has been constructed to compare these operating systems. Results prove that the controller based on idling voltages reduces the electric power consumption of the refrigerator by 32% and increases the coefficient of performance by 64%, compared with the on/off controller. TMS, 2012 Thermoelectric refrigeration nationallicence temperature control nationallicence electric power consumption nationallicence coefficient of performance nationallicence idling voltage nationallicence COP : Coefficient of performance nationallicence D : Difference between limits of the inner temperature (°C) nationallicence EPC : Electric power consumption (kWh/day) nationallicence I : Electric current through the thermoelectric modules (A) nationallicence L : Lower limit of the inner temperature (°C) nationallicence $$ \dot{Q}_{\rm{C}} $$ : Heat flow rate absorbed by the thermoelectric modules (kWh/day) nationallicence R wall : Thermal resistance of the wall of the refrigerator (K/W) nationallicence T e : Environment temperature (K) nationallicence T in : Inner temperature (K) nationallicence T 0 : Average inner temperature (K) nationallicence V : Voltage supplied to the thermoelectric modules (V) nationallicence τ : Time (s) nationallicence Martínez A. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut Astrain D. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut Rodríguez A. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut Pérez G. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut Journal of Electronic Materials Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 42/7(2013-07-01), 1499-1503 0361-5235 42:7<1499 2013 42 11664 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2298-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11664-012-2298-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Martínez A. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Astrain D. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Rodríguez A. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Pérez G. Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering Department, Public University of Navarre, 31006, Pamplona, Spain aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Journal of Electronic Materials Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 42/7(2013-07-01), 1499-1503 0361-5235 42:7<1499 2013 42 11664 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer