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Samsung and US researchers say a new technology called thermoelectric cooling can make refrigerators 70% more energy efficient, & could enable them to power themselves from their ambient environment (www.eenewseurope.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by Lugh to c/futurology

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[–] just_another_person@lemmy.world 24 points 2 weeks ago (16 children)

These are just Peltier cooling mechanisms highly refined it seems. If they've increased the efficiency enough that a full-sized refrigerator can keep food cool without refrigerant or a constant electrical signal, that's huge. AFAIK Peltier coolers still need some electrical input, though minimal.

[–] rtxn@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

I'm calling bullshit. There's no way a Peltier element can exceed the coefficient of performance of the refrigeration cycle, at an affordable price, without turning the room into a hothouse.

[–] Lugh 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I’m calling bullshit.

Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal, Nature.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59698-y

[–] rtxn@lemmy.world 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I'm not questioning the findings. I'm questioning the article, and your interpretation to arrive at such a summary.

APL plans to continue to partner with organizations to refine the CHESS thermoelectric materials with a focus on boosting efficiency to approach that of conventional mechanical systems

energy-harvesting technologies for applications ranging from computers to spacecraft

70% improvement in efficiency in a fully integrated refrigeration system.

It's all potential, and possibilities, and future projections. I'm sure someone will find real world applications for it, but a fridge tacked out with Peltier tiles that draws energy from its ambient environment (while actively ruining the thermal gradient by the way) is ludicrous.

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