PT Journal
AU Onoroh, F
   Onochie, PU
   Agberegha, OL
TI Modelling and Experimental Testing of a Solar Thermoelectric Refrigerator
SO Acta Mechanica Slovaca
PY 2023
BP 62
EP 74
VL 27
IS 4
DI 10.21496/ams.2023.034
DE Thermoelectric refrigerator; Coefficient of Performance; Temperature gradient; Solar irradiation; Photovoltaic.
AB This research centered on the design, simulation and testing of a solar thermoelectric refrigerator. Mathematical models of the system were derived and solved using MATLAB to predict the performance of the refrigerator at various operating conditions of applied voltage and temperature gradients. Simulations were carried out in order to test the system's effectiveness when powered with solar energy. Simulation results of the thermoelectric refrigeration showed the  heat pumping capacities of the TEC1-12706 module as 42.6W, 38.9W, 35.3W and 31.7W at temperature gradients of 5°C, 10°C, 15°C and 20°C respectively, the heat dissipation capacities of the TEC1-12706 module as 132 W, 125.3 W, 118.7 W and 112.2 W at temperature gradients of 5°C, 10°C, 15°C and 20°C respectively and the corresponding coefficient of performance as 0.468, 0.436, 0.402 and 0.368 at temperature gradients of 5°C, 10°C, 15°C and 20°C respectively. The experimental results indicated a steady decline of temperature in the refrigerated chamber from 28.7°C to 3.3°C in a time frame of three hours. Thus, solar power thermoelectric refrigerator is an alternative source of cooling as it is environmentally friendly.
ER