Cooling method small volume

[Matbrnd]

Hi!

I am designing a food delivery machine that needs to have a cooled chamber where food is stocked before delivery. The dimensions of this chamber are roughly 125*100*700mm, with only 60mm of free space on the sides and no possibility to adapt anything on the bottom, the top side is free. The temperature difference isn´t too high, as the machine will be located in a shop in a tempered climate country in center Europe.

I am thinking of using TEC modules but was wondering if there are other cooling methods more adapted to this configuration?

Thanks!

Mathieu

 

[EdStainless]

How were you planning on cooling the hot side of the TEC?
I have seen them used, with a water system to cool them.

Could you simply cool the entire machine with a chiller and blower (like a soda machine)?


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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[Matbrnd]

We currently cool the entire machine but the volume is much bigger and we spend too much energy on it (the food "boxes" are only a small part of the whole machine).

I planned to cool the hot side with a fan and a heat sink but I just have 60mm space between 2 chambers, it might not be the best configuration for the ventilation of the hot plate...

 

[MintJulep]

Does it really need active cooling?

How about ice? Wet or dry.

Or a chunk of cold metal.

 

[EdStainless]

It might make more sense to just put small heat sinks in each cold box and then circulate chilled water (glycol mix) through them.
You won't be able to turn them on and off one at a time, but it will be simpler.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[Matbrnd]

Thanks for all the answers!

MintJulep: I´m afraid we can´t control the temperature using dry ice?
I have never seen or used cold metal for cooling, do you have any link where I could get some information?

EdStainless: That could be a solution, the challenge will be the design of the cold box, because I need to be able to remove it in order to refill it. The cold plate could be be fixed and the cold box would fit over it.

 

[IRstuff]

You still have not provided sufficient information:
> how long does the food have to stay cold?
> what is the intended power source?
> while you have side clearance do you have air flow?
> what are the temperature limits on the food?

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[tkordyban]

Your idea is feasible. Small thermoelectric refrigerators are commercially available from several sources. They are commonly used to keep food and drink cold in the car, powered by the DC power from the car electrical system. Check amazon. They won't be the exact shape you want, but they will give you an idea what is possible.

 

[Matbrnd]

IRstuff:
> It has to stay cold the whole time it is in the cold box
> Ideally electric, as we don´t have any pneumatic or hidraulic system installed, but we could install it if neededç
> Yes, we do have air flow
> Food must be kept between 2 and 6ºC

tkordynam:
I´m pretty confident that it´s feasible, but I was wondering if there are other relevant solutions, and maybe better in one way or another than Peltier modules.

 

[IRstuff]

"It has to stay cold the whole time it is in the cold box"

OK, but how long? minutes, days, years?

Your requirement for ± 3°C pretty much limits it to TECs, though, with fans to maintain air flow over the heat sink. People have designed fans for graphics card in PCs that fit in a 0.6-inch slot, which is 15.2 mm.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
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