A refrigerator uses a traditional heat pump. A compressor is powered usually by electricity and that circulates a “refrigerant” like freon or some synthetic version through some tubes that go through heat exchangers – the bottom line is that is pulls the heat out of the fridge to make it cold.
An AC is just another variation of this as is all other heat pump technologies such as heat pump hot water heaters. Some give you cold while expelling the heat and some give you heat while expelling the cold.
Heat pumps are a really great technology and are very reliable and have made our lives much easier. There are a few drawbacks such as the noise and occasional maintenance due to moving parts.
Phononic is a company, which has eliminated these problems by building a completely silent and solid state refrigerator using hundred year old Peltier junctions…they’re semiconductors basically that get hot on one side and cold on the other.
Peltier’s definitely work but their drawback is that they are very inefficient…it takes a lot of watt hours to produce any substantial heating or cooling, but Phononic has scaled them up and have made them more efficient than ever. Normally, they’re under 10% efficient, but now they’re over 30%!
Even at 30%, they can’t compete with heat pumps in terms of Coefficient of Performance (COP), but being that they are much smaller than normal compressor heat pumps and they’re silent, they do have their place.
While this advancement in Peltier technology isn’t going to get anyone off the grid, it is a very welcome improvement as a three times increase in efficiency in anything doesn’t happen every day.
To put that into perspective – the automobile engine was commonly under 20% efficient and the newest cars on the road today are lucky to achieve 30% efficiency – and that is over many, many decades of automotive advancements.
Go here for more of the story on Phononic: http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/your-refrigerator-running-soon-it-will-be-doing-doing-it-solid-state.html
SEWELL, Robert L. “Bob” 1934 – 2014 Passed away November 7th 2014, at his home in Spokane, WA of natural causes. His wife of 54 years, Helen (Pugh), preceded Robert in death in May 2010. Robert is survived by son Donald (Kathy Rigsby-Sewell); grandson Tyler (12); daughter Mary Ann Sewell-Driftmeyer (Todd); and Sister Barbara Sewell-Young (Steve). Robert was born June 7th, 1934 in Orofino, ID to Byron and Pauline (Holstein) Sewell. He graduated from Wallace High School in 1952 then attended the University of Idaho, working as a Hasher in Kappa Sigma Fraternity to put himself thru School. While there in Moscow, Bob built one of the World’s first electric cars which he often drove around campus and was featured in the November 1957 edition of Popular Mechanics. It was also during his time at U of I that he met his future wife, his ‘Florence Nightingale’ Nurse Helen Pugh. While home on Christmas break from College in December 1954, Bob developed Appendicitis and was rushed to the E.R. at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane where Helen just happened to be working that day and as they say…the rest was history. He married Helen Louise Pugh at the Hillyard Baptist Church on Sept. 15, 1956. After graduating from U of I in 1957 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, he worked for the Washington Water Power (Avista Corp.) from June 1957 to December 1989 when he took early retirement. In the late 1950’s/early 1960’s, Robert was instrumental in design and development of most of the region’s infrastructure of high-voltage Transmission and Distribution lines built to service the region’s burgeoning Hydroelectric Dams. He was published both regionally and nationally many times, receiving numerous awards for Inventions and patented devices. In 1970 he designed and built his and Helen’s ‘dream house’ on in north Spokane where he lived for 44 years. As Superintendent of Electric Underground and Water, Robert was a major cog in transforming the downtown core of Spokane for the World’s Fair in 1974. Robert was involved for many years in Lion’s Club, Eagles Lodge, Spokane Lilac Festival, Avista Corp. Trailblazers, U of I Alumni Association, enjoyed taking the family on Summer vacations all across the United States and boat camping at area lakes with the Spokane Yacht Club, owning and mounting accessories to unique one-of-a-kind Campers, collecting and wearing hats, was a student of history, loved reading books, loved museums, Auto Drive-away adventures, numerous excursions with Inland Empire Tours, ham radio, car shows, antique and vintage cars, jazz festivals, ‘Big Band’ music, playing in the U of I Pep Band, anything World War II, Hillyard Senior Center, the Silver Café, thrift stores, pawn shops, yard sales, classified ads, auctions and last but not least eating/food especially juice, milk, ice cream and anything chocolate! A Memorial Service will be held Friday December 12, 2014, 2:00 pm at Country Homes Christian Church, 8415 N. Wall Street (SW Corner of Wall and Country Homes Boulevard) Spokane, WA 99208 followed by fellowship time. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Union Gospel Mission Ministries P.O. Box 4066 Spokane, WA 99220
