Researchers of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, have developed a new, slightly produced thermoelectric cooling technology with nano engine that are twice as effective as devices as devices with commercially available mass materials. Since the global demand for more energy-efficient, reliable and compact cooling solutions is growing, this progress offers a scalable alternative to conventional compressor-based cooling.
Published in a paper in Natural communicationA team of researchers from APL and cooling engineers from Samsung research showed improved heat pump efficiency and capacity in cooling systems, which are attributed to high-performance thermoelectric materials with a power-strong area, which are invented at APL, which are known as controlled hierarchically constructed superlattice structures (chess structures).
Shaft technology is the result of 10 years of APL research in advanced nano-engined thermoelectric materials and application development. The material was originally developed for national security applications and was also used for non -invasive cooling therapies for prostheses and an R&D 100 price was awarded in 2023.
“This real demonstration of the cooling using new thermoelectric materials shows the skills of nano-fished chess thin films,” said Rama Venkatasubramanian, main undertook of the joint project and chief technology for thermal electrics at Apl. “It marks a significant jump in cooling technology and places the prerequisites for the implementation of progress in thermoelectric materials into practical, large -scale and energy -efficient cooling applications.”
A new benchmark for solid -state cooling
The advance for more efficient and more compact cooling technologies is heated by a variety of factors, including population growth, urbanization and increasing dependence on advanced electronics and data infrastructure. Conventional cooling systems are effective, but are often bulky, energy -intensive and depend on chemical refrigerants that can be harmful to the environment.
Thermal electric cooling is generally regarded as a potential solution. This method cools down by using electrons to move the heat through special semiconductor materials, which eliminates the need for moving parts or harmful chemicals, making these refrigerators of the next generation calm, compact, reliable and sustainable. Thermoelectric mass materials are used in small devices such as mini ribs, but their limited efficiency, low heat pump capacity and incompatibility with scalable semiconductor chip production have historically prevented their wider use in high-performance systems.
In the study, the researchers compared cooling modules using conventional thermoelectric mass materials with chess-thin film materials in standardized cooling tests, in which the electrical output is measured and compared that are required to achieve different cooling levels in the same commercial fridge test systems. The lifestyle team from Samsung Research under the direction of the Executive Vice President Joonhyun Lee worked with APL to validate the results through detailed thermal modeling, quantification of thermal loads and thermal resistance parameters in order to ensure precise performance evaluation under real conditions.
The results were striking: With chess materials, the APL team achieved an almost 100% improvement in efficiency compared to conventional thermoelectric materials at room temperature (about 80 degrees or 25 c). Then they translated these profits at material level into an almost 75% improvement of efficiency at the device level in thermoelectric modules, which were built with chess materials, and an improvement in efficiency in a fully integrated cooling system, which is a significant improvement compared to state-of-the-art thermalectric Bulk-rethermoelectric. These tests were completed under conditions in which considerable amounts of heat pumps included to replicate practical operation.
Scaled
Apart from the improvement of efficiency, the chess-thin film technology uses remarkably less material-only 0.003 cubic centimeters or the size of a grain of sand per cooling. This reduction in the material means that the thermal electric materials from APL enable the long-conductor chip production tools, cost efficiency and the widespread market academy.
“This thin-layer technology has the potential to grow from power cooling systems to the support of large building-HELK applications.
In addition, the chess materials were created using a well-established procedure that is usually used for the production of highly efficient solar cells that supply satellites and commercial LED lights with electricity.
“We used metal-organic chemical steam deposits (MOCVD) to produce the chess materials, a method that is known for its scalability, cost effectiveness and the ability to support the production of large volume,” said Jon Pierce, a senior research engineer who leads the MOCVD growth ability. “MOCVD is already commercially widespread, which makes it ideal for the scaling of chess thirst in-film thermal electric materials.”
These materials and devices are still promising for a wide range of energy harvests and electronic applications in addition to the latest progress in cooling. APL plans to continue to work with organizations in order to refine the thermoelectric chess materials, with the focus on increasing efficiency on conventional mechanical systems. Future efforts include the detection of larger cooling systems, including freezer cabinets, and the integration of artificial intelligence methods to optimize energy efficiency in compartmenting or distributed cooling in cooling and HLK devices.
“In addition to cooling, chess materials can also convert temperature differences such as body heat into usable power,” said Jeff Maranchi, Exploration program manager in the mission area for research and exploration development of Apl. “In addition to the next generation tactile systems, prosthetics and human-machine interfaces, this opens the door to scalable energy earnings technologies for applications that were not possible from computers to spacecraft, which were not possible with older thermoelectric thermoelectic thermoelective thermoelectric devices.”
“The success of this joint effort shows that highly efficient solid-state cooling not only can be scientifically sustainable, but can not only be produced on a scale,” said Susan Ehrlich, Manager for Commercialization of APL Technology. “We look forward to receiving continuous research and technology transfer opportunities with companies, while we work together to implement these innovations into practical, real applications.”