Samsung Electronics Discovers Refrigerant-Free Cooling Technology... Potential for Commercialization of 'High-Efficiency Refrigerator'

Publication of "Peltier Cooling Technology" in Academic Journal
Potential for Commercialization of Refrigerant-Free Refrigerators
Increased Cooling Efficiency, Miniaturization and Weight Reduction

Samsung Electronics has secured technology in the field of eco-friendly, next-generation cooling.

According to Samsung Electronics on May 28, a research paper on "next-generation Peltier cooling technology," conducted through industry-academia collaboration between Samsung Electronics and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, has been published in the world-renowned journal Nature Communications.

Peltier cooling is a technology that utilizes the effect of applying electricity to a Peltier semiconductor device, causing one side to become cold and the other side to become hot. In particular, because it does not use refrigerants, it is gaining attention as an eco-friendly and non-chemical next-generation cooling method.

This project involved researchers from the Life Solution Team at Samsung Research and the research team led by Professor Rama Venkatasubramanian at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The research team succeeded, for the first time in the world, in developing a "high-efficiency thin-film Peltier semiconductor device" using nanoengineering technology, and in demonstrating a high-efficiency Peltier refrigerator utilizing this device.

Nano thin-film Peltier device and high-efficiency Peltier refrigerator developed by Samsung Electronics and Johns Hopkins University research team. Samsung Electronics.

The Peltier refrigerator equipped with the new device demonstrated the possibility of commercializing a next-generation refrigerator without refrigerants, surpassing the cooling efficiency of conventional vapor compression refrigerators. Compared to the vapor compression method, Peltier cooling enables faster and more precise temperature control, making it applicable not only to home appliances such as refrigerators, but also to various industrial fields including semiconductors, medical devices, automotive electronics, and data centers.

For the commercialization of high-efficiency Peltier cooling, the cooling efficiency of the Peltier semiconductor device is crucial. The research team introduced a completely new semiconductor thin-film deposition production process, which improved cooling efficiency by approximately 75% compared to existing methods, while also achieving miniaturization and weight reduction.

Peltier devices also have advantages in terms of resource efficiency and mass production. A Samsung Electronics official stated, "With the introduction of the new production process, the amount of Peltier material used in device development is only about one one-thousandth of the previous level, dramatically improving both economic feasibility and eco-friendliness," adding, "We will continue to pursue innovative technology research to lead the future."