A long trip by car obliges you to take food with you on the road. In order to prevent them from spoiling in the heat and to protect yourself from unpleasant consequences in the form of poisoning, you need to put everything you need in an auto-refrigerator. This technique is classified into three types. Auto-refrigerators are absorption, compressor and thermoelectric. The last option, as a rule, is a portable type refrigerator. Thermoelectric refrigerators have many advantages over other models. Their main purpose is temporary storage of products. Consider the principle of operation of such devices and the most common models.
Advantages of auto-refrigerators
A big plus of thermoelectric refrigerators is the low noise level during operation. This is due to the lack of movingand shaking elements. Due to this feature, they are used not only for cars. Sometimes their installation is appropriate in an apartment, in a country house, in a hospital ward. Compared to compressor and absorption devices, thermoelectric options consume much less electricity. Moreover, they rarely fail and are highly reliable, which means that you can avoid additional costs for their repair. Thermoelectric refrigerators are not afraid of shaking and vibration, which is why they are often used in cars.
Working principle
The principle of operation of devices of this type is to pump out thermal energy from a refrigerating chamber isolated from the external environment in order to lower the temperature in it. The process is based on the Peltier effect (extraction of heat by electricity from a cooling device). The effect got its name thanks to a French scientist who made this discovery back in the 19th century. In devices of this type, modules are provided, which consist of miniature metal cubes. The latter are electrically interconnected and stored together at the physical level.
At the moment the electric current passes through the cubes, heat is transferred from the original material to the new one. The solid state of the thermoelectric modules of the device is capable of transferring heat in a significant amount.
Temperature conditions
The principle of operation of thermoelectric refrigerators is based on the fact that the absorption of heat from the products placed in it occurs due tolarge cold plate. Thermoelectric modules transfer it to a heat-dissipating stabilizer. This component of the refrigerator is located under the control panel. In this area, a small fan dissipates heat from the cooling unit through the air.
The constant temperature of the refrigerator in hot weather fluctuates within 10 °C. When heated, the temperature rises to + 54-70 ° C. After disconnecting from the mains, the temperature in the chamber can remain the same for 8-10 hours.
Usage Tips
The efficiency of such cooling is 16-17%, so thermoelectric refrigerators are not able to cool the products placed in them in a fast mode. The main function of devices of this type is to keep food cold, and not to contribute to their cooling. If we compare them with isothermal containers, then the storage time of products in them is not limited, since the device is continuously recharged.
Before you start using a thermoelectric refrigerator, you need to pre-cool everything that will be stored in it. It is also necessary to allow the empty chamber to cool. Some models of auto-refrigerators have two modes of operation. They can heat and cool food. Due to the heating function, this refrigerator is a leader among compressor and absorption refrigerators. If you know well the design of thermoelectric refrigerators, you canchoose the most suitable model with a set of specific technical parameters.
When choosing a car refrigerator, you need to decide on its location in the car and only after that make a purchase. Position the device in the car so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. Since the thermoelectric refrigerator slowly warms up, it should be turned on before the trip. You can go the other way - cool the camera using cold accumulators. For this purpose, it is forbidden to use ice, because melt water will cause corrosion on the metal elements of the auto-refrigerator.
How to choose
As a rule, thermoelectric refrigerators for home and car cannot boast of large capacity. Their volume is 0.5-50 liters. Budget models are able to function in cooling mode and exclusively from the on-board network. Expensive devices have a heating function and the ability to connect to a household network.
When choosing a thermoelectric type refrigerator, it is important to determine the following parameters:
- Volume. A car refrigerator with a capacity of up to 5 liters is ideal for motorists who travel on their own. Such a device can accommodate a small amount of products and bottles of drinks. If you plan to travel with the whole family or a large company, it is advisable to prefer a thermoelectric refrigerator, the volume of which will be 30-40 liters.
- Durationtrips. If the unit is needed for trips out of town or travel over short distances, the best solution would be to purchase an insulated bag or container.
- Temperature range. If the refrigerator is to be used in hot environments and the temperature difference is significant, a freezer may be needed.
Reviews
If we refer to reviews of thermoelectric refrigerators, then the owners of such devices recommend following the following rules when choosing:
- Purchase a model with a safety device that will control the vehicle's battery discharge limit.
- Give preference to refrigerators with sufficient cord length (at least 2 m).
- Choose a device with a secure lid.
