Performance Evaluation of Ice Production Utilizing the Thermoelectric Module for the Residential Refrigerators

In this study, the ice production of the thermoelectric module applied to the conventional aluminum tray is investigated in the residential refrigerators. Currently, ice in the refrigerator produces inside the aluminum tray using cold air of the evaporator. The speed of ice production is an important factor in the refrigerator. The thermoelectric module consists of an aluminum tray, a thermoelectric element, a heat sink and a DC power supply. The design factors for the thermoelectric module are the electrical property, the structure of the heat sink for improving heat transfer, the flow rate and temperature of cold air supplied from the evaporator. The speed of ice production in the thermoelectric ice module was measured two times higher than that of the conventional Al ice tray because the thermoelectric module was cooled down by the -15℃ air supplied from the evaporator. The coefficient of performance of the thermoelectric module was measured at 1.95.