Staying Cool Without Refrigerants: Samsung Is Pioneering Peltier Cooling

Summary

On June 28, Samsung Electronics, together with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), published a paper on next-generation Peltier cooling technology in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications. The team successfully developed a high-efficiency thin-film semiconductor Peltier device using nano-engineering technology and demonstrated refrigerant-free cooling, highlighting the potential to deliver outstanding performance without conventional refrigerants. Previously in 2024, Samsung Electronics opened a new chapter in refrigeration technology through the launch of the Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator, which combines Peltier devices with high-efficiency compressors. Much like a hybrid vehicle, this system intelligently switches between the two cooling methods depending on what best suits the situation. While the Bespoke AI Hybrid Refrigerator marked a major step forward, the new thin-film Peltier technology developed with Johns Hopkins APL represents a leap into the future. How will this newly unveiled innovation be applied to home appliances, and how will it shape the cooling technology of tomorrow? To find out, Samsung Newsroom spoke with Sungjin Jung from Samsung Research, who has led the technology’s development, and Hajin Jeong from the DA (Digital Appliances) Business at Samsung Electronics, who is working to integrate it into Samsung’s next-generation refrigerators. ▲ (From left) Hajin Jeong from the Refrigerator Platform Lab of Samsung Electronics’ DA Business and Sungjin Jung from Samsung Research’s Life Solutions Team Precise Temperature Control With Semiconductor Devices? Understanding the Principles Behind Peltier Cooling Technology Conventional refrigerators operate using vapor compression technology. In this system, refrigerant gas is compressed into a liquid and then repeatedly evaporated to absorb and release heat, thereby lowering the internal temperature. While this widely used cooling method has proven effective,...