Experimental study of a thermoelectrically-driven liquid chiller in terms of COP and cooling down period

To study COP and other cooling parameters of a thermoelectically-driven liquid chiller, a 430 ml capacity liquid chiller incorporating two commercially available thermoelectric modules as its active components, has been designed, built and assessed. The system can use natural or forced air convection in heat exchangers attached to the thermoelectric module surfaces. The coefficient of performance (COP) and cooling down period (CDP) of the system for different thermoelectric input voltages have been measured. The COP of the thermoelectric chiller was found to be in the range 0.2-1.4 for forced convection and 0.2-1 for natural convection at a cooled liquid temperature of 10 degrees C and an ambient temperature of 18 degrees C. For the chiller, heat pumping capacity, minimum achievable water temperature, and temperature difference across the thermoelectric surfaces were investigated for input voltages of 3 V, 5 V, 7 V, 10 V and 12 V. Furthermore, as a basis for reliable and convenient control of the chiller, a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller has been proposed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.