MaxCOP: Heat pump controller for maximum COP

European Thermodynamics specialize in the design, manufacture and supply of bespoke and
high performance thermal management products for OEM manufactures of enclosure-based
electronics & electrical equipment. Part of the company’s business is derived from the supply
of thermoelectric coolers (TECs) which, by exploiting the Peltier effect in a semiconductor,
enables the flow of electrical current to be used to pump thermal energy across the
semiconductor. The aim of this project is to demonstrate that a TEC can be used at its
maximum Coefficient of Performance over a wide range of operating conditions. In so-doing,
ETL will improve TEC efficiency and open the door to a new class of portable thermal
management solutions.
A spin-off of some research undertaken by ETL was the realisation that by using sophisticated
electronic control methods efficiency could be dramatically increased. After several months of
investigative work inside ETL we are now convinced the idea has technical merit and wish to
develop a proof of concept to a) validate the basic ideas, and b) quantitatively determine the
performance and efficiency gains realisable.
ETL has recently been approached by four large organisations, each asking for essentially the
same thing, i.e. a thermal control solution for portable enclosures that is more efficient than
current cooler systems. The market for the product includes the armed forces (temperature
control of electronic equipment), healthcare (transportation and storage of medicines and
drugs), telecomms (for fixed and temporary data and telephony infrastructure), and a large
manufacturer of 19” rack equipment for use in data centres. Collectively these represent an
immediate opportunity for over four thousand units with a market value of over £1 million
and revenue to ETL of ~ £500,000. TSB funding is sought to accelerate the validation of the
new concept and to investigate possible product offerings.