A US company has received a $10m investment into its on-going research into thermoelectric technology for use in refrigerators.
Phononic Devices, a North Carolina-based maker of thermoelectric coolers and generators, are developing thermoelectric technology as an alternative to traditional DX technology and refrigerants in cooling systems.
The technology can also capture wasted heat, and convert it into power with the added benefit of no moving parts and running very quietly.
Anthony Atti, president and chief executive officer of Phononic Devices, has said that his company's particular brand of thermoelectrics is more efficient and distinct from other varieties which use bismuth telluride and bismuth selenide. Phononic Devices use proprietary materials from a different class of elements instead which Mr Atti said are 'abundant domestically, low-cost and can be manufactured and integrated with existing operations across semi-conductor industries.'
The latest investment from Venrock and Oak Investment Partners follows a previous $3m grant from the Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy program (ARPA-E) to improve the efficiency of thermoelectrics in cooling and converting waste heat to power.
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http://phononicdevices.com