Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption

The Kigali amendment boosts the use of hydrocarbons for vapor compression refrigeration cycles due to their negligible effect to the environment. However, vapor compression refrigeration systems do not only negatively affect the environment due to their use of refrigerants, but also due to their ene...

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Autores: Aranguren Garacochea, Patricia, Casi Satrústegui, Álvaro, Rezaniakolaei, Alireza (0000-0003-4582-2342)
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad San Jorge (USJ)
Repositorio:Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarra
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:academicae__::2d72e89b4f3d8b57f5b2a4f51c7e8786
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2454/56986
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Propane
Thermoelectric subcooler
R290
COP
Energy consumption
Payback
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spelling Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumptionAranguren Garacochea, PatriciaCasi Satrústegui, ÁlvaroRezaniakolaei, Alireza (0000-0003-4582-2342)PropaneThermoelectric subcoolerR290COPEnergy consumptionPaybackThe Kigali amendment boosts the use of hydrocarbons for vapor compression refrigeration cycles due to their negligible effect to the environment. However, vapor compression refrigeration systems do not only negatively affect the environment due to their use of refrigerants, but also due to their energy consumption. Many technologies have been studied to reduce the energy consumption of propane systems, where including thermoelectric subcooling into propane vapor compression systems has been barely studied. This manuscript studies for the first time the inclusion of a thermoelectric subcooler without auxiliary consumption into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to extend its use. The thermoelectric system is placed after the condenser and it is able to subcool the propane thanks to the forced airflow of the condenser, a novel arrangement that cannot be found in the literature. Additionally, the number of thermoelectric modules and their voltage supply have been optimized. The inclusion of a robust and simple thermoelectric subcooler made out of 12 thermoelectric modules arranged in 6 blocks and supplied with 1.5 V, procures a 5.96 % decrease of the daily energy consumption of the freezing vertical cabinet. Additionally, for this arrangement, the cooling capacity is increased an 8.50 % and the COP a 6.13 % by the 15.48 K degree of efficient subcooling achieved. The minimum payback period obtained equals 4.6 years for a thermoelectric subcooler made of two blocks and supplied with 2.5 V.The authors would like to acknowledge CAS21/00421 research scholarship funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Grant PID2021-126926OB-C22 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by "ERDF A way of making Europe" and the support from Universidad Pública de Navarra for the funding under the PJUPNA2003 project. Open access funding provided by Universidad Pública de Navarra.ElsevierIngenieríaIngeniaritzaInstitute of Smart Cities (ISC)Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, PJUPNA20032026info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2454/56986reponame:Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarrainstname:Universidad San Jorge (USJ)Inglésinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023/PID2021-126926OB-C22© 2026 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:dnet:academicae__::2d72e89b4f3d8b57f5b2a4f51c7e87862026-06-17T12:41:47Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
title Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
spellingShingle Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
Aranguren Garacochea, Patricia
Propane
Thermoelectric subcooler
R290
COP
Energy consumption
Payback
title_short Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
title_full Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
title_fullStr Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
title_full_unstemmed Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
title_sort Theoretical assessment of thermoelectric subcooling integration into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to minimize its energy consumption
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Aranguren Garacochea, Patricia
Casi Satrústegui, Álvaro
Rezaniakolaei, Alireza (0000-0003-4582-2342)
author Aranguren Garacochea, Patricia
author_facet Aranguren Garacochea, Patricia
Casi Satrústegui, Álvaro
Rezaniakolaei, Alireza (0000-0003-4582-2342)
author_role author
author2 Casi Satrústegui, Álvaro
Rezaniakolaei, Alireza (0000-0003-4582-2342)
author2_role author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Ingeniería
Ingeniaritza
Institute of Smart Cities (ISC)
Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, PJUPNA2003
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Propane
Thermoelectric subcooler
R290
COP
Energy consumption
Payback
topic Propane
Thermoelectric subcooler
R290
COP
Energy consumption
Payback
description The Kigali amendment boosts the use of hydrocarbons for vapor compression refrigeration cycles due to their negligible effect to the environment. However, vapor compression refrigeration systems do not only negatively affect the environment due to their use of refrigerants, but also due to their energy consumption. Many technologies have been studied to reduce the energy consumption of propane systems, where including thermoelectric subcooling into propane vapor compression systems has been barely studied. This manuscript studies for the first time the inclusion of a thermoelectric subcooler without auxiliary consumption into a propane vertical freezing cabinet to extend its use. The thermoelectric system is placed after the condenser and it is able to subcool the propane thanks to the forced airflow of the condenser, a novel arrangement that cannot be found in the literature. Additionally, the number of thermoelectric modules and their voltage supply have been optimized. The inclusion of a robust and simple thermoelectric subcooler made out of 12 thermoelectric modules arranged in 6 blocks and supplied with 1.5 V, procures a 5.96 % decrease of the daily energy consumption of the freezing vertical cabinet. Additionally, for this arrangement, the cooling capacity is increased an 8.50 % and the COP a 6.13 % by the 15.48 K degree of efficient subcooling achieved. The minimum payback period obtained equals 4.6 years for a thermoelectric subcooler made of two blocks and supplied with 2.5 V.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2454/56986
url https://hdl.handle.net/2454/56986
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023/PID2021-126926OB-C22
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv © 2026 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv © 2026 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync-nd/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarra
instname:Universidad San Jorge (USJ)
instname_str Universidad San Jorge (USJ)
reponame_str Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarra
collection Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarra
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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