636 | Thermodynamics
EXAMPLE 11–6 Cooling of a Canned Drink
by a Thermoelectric Refrigerator
A thermoelectric refrigerator that resembles a small ice chest is powered by
a car battery and has a COP of 0.1. If the refrigerator cools a 0.350-L
canned drink from 20 to 4°C in 30 min, determine the average electric
power consumed by the thermoelectric refrigerator.
Solution A thermoelectric refrigerator with a specified COP is used to cool
canned drinks. The power consumption of the refrigerator is to be determined.
Assumptions Heat transfer through the walls of the refrigerator is negligible
during operation.
Properties The properties of canned drinks are the same as those of water
at room temperature, r1 kg/L and c4.18 kJ/kg · °C (Table A–3).
Analysis The cooling rate of the refrigerator is simply the rate of decrease of
the energy of the canned drinks,
Then the average power consumed by the refrigerator becomes
Discussion In reality, the power consumption will be larger because of the
heat gain through the walls of the refrigerator.
W
#
in
Q
#
cooling
COPR
13 W
0.10
130 W
Q
#
cooling
Qcooling
¢t
23.4 kJ
30 60 s
0.0130 kW13 W
Qcoolingmc ¢T 1 0.350 kg 21 4.18 kJ>kg#°C 2120 42 °C23.4 kJ
mrV 1 1 kg>L 21 0.350 L 2 0.350 kg
The transfer of heat from lower temperature regions to higher
temperature ones is called refrigeration. Devices that produce
refrigeration are called refrigerators,and the cycles on which
they operate are called refrigeration cycles. The working flu-
ids used in refrigerators are called refrigerants. Refrigerators
used for the purpose of heating a space by transferring heat
from a cooler medium are called heat pumps.
The performance of refrigerators and heat pumps is
expressed in terms of coefficient of performance(COP),
defined as
COPHP
Desired output
Required input
Heating effect
Work input
QH
Wnet,in
COPR
Desired output
Required output
Cooling effect
Work input
QL
Wnet,in
SUMMARY
The standard of comparison for refrigeration cycles is the
reversed Carnot cycle. A refrigerator or heat pump that oper-
ates on the reversed Carnot cycle is called a Carnot refrigera-
toror a Carnot heat pump, and their COPs are
The most widely used refrigeration cycle is the vapor-
compression refrigeration cycle. In an ideal vapor-compression
refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant enters the compressor as a
saturated vapor and is cooled to the saturated liquid state in
the condenser. It is then throttled to the evaporator pressure
and vaporizes as it absorbs heat from the refrigerated space.
COPHP,Carnot
1
1 TL >TH
COPR,Carnot
1
TH>TL 1
Heat
rejected
Heat
absorbed
FIGURE 11–27
When a current is passed through the
junction of two dissimilar materials,
the junction is cooled.
WARM
environment
Refrigerated
space
Hot plate
Cold plate
QH
QL
- I
pn pn pn
FIGURE 11–28
A thermoelectric refrigerator.