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Experimental evaluation of a prototype thermoelectric system integrated with PCM (phase change material) for space cooling

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  • Zhao, Dongliang
  • Tan, Gang

Abstract

A prototype thermoelectric system integrated with PCM (phase change material) heat storage unit for space cooling has been introduced in this work. The PCM heat storage functions as cooling source and carries, partially at least, the cooling load during cooling operation. A simplified analytical model for the thermoelectric module has been adopted to investigate the theoretical performance characteristics of the modules. The experimental test in a reduced-scale chamber has achieved 7 °C temperature difference between “indoor” and “outdoor” environments and realized an average cooling COP (coefficient of performance) of 0.87 for the thermoelectric cooling system, with the maximum cooling COP of 1.22. Another comparison test for efficacy of PCM heat storage unit shows that 35.3% electrical energy has been saved from using PCM heat storage. During PCM charging (melting) process, natural convection has been observed playing a key effect factor of heat transfer in PCM.

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  • Zhao, Dongliang & Tan, Gang, 2014. "Experimental evaluation of a prototype thermoelectric system integrated with PCM (phase change material) for space cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 658-666.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:68:y:2014:i:c:p:658-666
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2014.01.090
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    10. Ma, Xiaoli & Zhang, Yufeng & Han, Zhonghe & Zang, Ningbo & Liu, Zhijian, 2023. "Performance modelling on a thermoelectric air conditioning system using high power heat sinks and promoting waste heat utilization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
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    13. Madruga, Santiago, 2021. "Modeling of enhanced micro-energy harvesting of thermal ambient fluctuations with metallic foams embedded in Phase Change Materials," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 424-437.
    14. Irshad, Kashif & Habib, Khairul & Thirumalaiswamy, Nagarajan & Saha, Bidyut Baran, 2015. "Performance analysis of a thermoelectric air duct system for energy-efficient buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 1009-1017.
    15. Cai, Yang & Hong, Bing-Hua & Wu, Wei-Xiong & Wang, Wei-Wei & Zhao, Fu-Yun, 2022. "Active cooling performance of a PCM-based thermoelectric device: Dynamic characteristics and parametric investigations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    16. Madruga, Santiago & Mendoza, Carolina, 2022. "Introducing a new concept for enhanced micro-energy harvesting of thermal fluctuations through the Marangoni effect," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    17. Sadighi Dizaji, Hamed & Jafarmadar, Samad & Khalilarya, Shahram & Moosavi, Amin, 2016. "An exhaustive experimental study of a novel air-water based thermoelectric cooling unit," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 357-366.
    18. Zhao, Dongliang & Yin, Xiaobo & Xu, Jingtao & Tan, Gang & Yang, Ronggui, 2020. "Radiative sky cooling-assisted thermoelectric cooling system for building applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    19. Mosaffa, A.H. & Garousi Farshi, L. & Infante Ferreira, C.A. & Rosen, M.A., 2014. "Advanced exergy analysis of an air conditioning system incorporating thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 945-952.
    20. Maryam Al Owidh & Basma Souayeh & Imran Qasim Memon & Kashif Ali Abro & Huda Alfannakh, 2022. "Heat Transfer and Fluid Circulation of Thermoelectric Fluid through the Fractional Approach Based on Local Kernel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-12, November.
    21. Jiang, Le & Zhang, Hengyun & Li, Junwei & Xia, Peng, 2019. "Thermal performance of a cylindrical battery module impregnated with PCM composite based on thermoelectric cooling," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    22. Nie, Binjian & Palacios, Anabel & Zou, Boyang & Liu, Jiaxu & Zhang, Tongtong & Li, Yunren, 2020. "Review on phase change materials for cold thermal energy storage applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
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