The code name, Space Beast, was one they came up with in the wee hours of the night.
Tyler Lyon, Daniel Winegar and Chad Thornley were overtired and giddy as they tackled a science fair project. Their idea: Eliminate the use of Freon in automobile air-conditioning systems by relying on the Peltier effect - of course.
"We aren't planning our lives around making air conditioners," Lyon explained. "We wanted to do something to help the environment and the economy."
But what began as a Riverton High School physics class assignment nearly two years ago has morphed into an award-winning, internationally recognized invention.

[ Call for research.

This article has some issues, like the fact that cars don't typically use freon anymore, but another refrigerant which, while a greenhouse gas, doesn't deplete ozone.

Mainly though, i want to know the details of this because the claim seems to be that taking the gasoline, converting it to electricity, and powering a stack of peltier devices is more efficient than directly driving a compressor for the ac. Presumably the same number of fans would need to be run electrically for either.

Is the alternator/electric cycle that much more efficient than the compressor/refrigerant cycle?

I imagine other problems, like there's extra heat there, which isn't strictly necessary in an engine bay, and may not have an alternate use. A reduction in movable parts and nasty greenhouse gasses seems a valid argument in it's favor, but i'm skeptical that the whole package is going to prove sensible.

Of course, if it pans out, i'm sure i won't be the only one regretting the assumptions they've made about peltier coolers and the relevant efficiencies. Has ANYONE who's seen a peltier not thought, at least briefly, about doing something like this? I coulda scored 50k and a trip to japan, dammit. -k]

Salt Lake Tribune - Utah