Enhancement of energy use efficiency by simultaneous use of cooling and heating action during thermoelectric conversion

Development is in progress of a heat pump providing high and low heat that can improve its energy use efficiency by maximizing cooling and heating actions of thermoelectric modules. The unit´s heat budget can be optimized by improved heat insulating materials and heat radiation device structures and by adjusting the number of thermoelectric modules, the input current voltage, etc. However, with their unique approach, the authors achieved 85% energy use efficiency with this simultaneous action of cooling and heating. Furthermore, this approach lowers the power consumption of the simultaneous high and low heat providing unit itself. This paper outlines of the unit under development and reports key technical points in controlling the temperature characteristics and cooling capacity.