Integration of Vapor Compression and Thermoelectric Cooling Systems for Enhanced Refrigeration Performance

Refrigeration is vital in daily life and industries, traditionally relying on single-system cooling. The two predominant kinds of single-system cooling are vapor compression refrigeration (VCR) and thermoelectric cooling (TEC). Each of these two single systems has its own disadvantages, such as higher input energy requirements and lower efficiency. However, the effect of the integration of VCR and TEC for achieving higher cooling performance with lower energy input has not been well studied and reported in the existing literature. Therefore, the aim of this study is to conduct a thorough investigation into an integrated refrigeration system that combines VCR and TEC. This integration allows switching between systems based on specific requirements, leveraging the high coefficient of performance (COP) of VCR and the benefits of TEC. Three configurations have been studied, and each of them has three operating conditions: VCR alone, TEC alone, and TEC hybrid with VCR. Configuration I corresponds to the results from the individual refrigeration test. In Configuration II, the hot end of the thermoelectric cooling module is installed at the insulation layer between the TEC layer and the VCR compartment. In Configuration III, the cold end of the thermoelectric cooling module is positioned at the insulation layer between the TEC layer and the VCR compartment. Configuration III of the integrated system demonstrated good performance by reducing the time required to reach the target temperature. It took 40 min for TEC alone to reach a temperature of 11.1 °C, 13 min for VCR alone, and only 9.6 min for a hybrid system. The hybrid system shows increased versatility and potential for future applications, providing valuable insight into optimizing advanced cooling technologies. Furthermore, from an economic and sustainability standpoint, the proposed hybrid refrigeration system is advantageous and ambitious as it offers superior cooling capacity and greater efficiency than current refrigeration systems.