Thermoelectric Cooling: Does anyone know how this works?

[jasc15]

At my company, we have a design using thermoelectric cooling. I have no idea how they work, is there some phenomenon i don't know about?

 

[Integral]

Let me be the first to hook you up to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_effect#Peltier_effect"

 

[astrokreng]

Thermoelectric cooling is a method of refrigeration that utilizes the Peltier effect, which is a thermoelectric phenomenon discovered by French physicist Jean Charles Athanase Peltier in 1834. The Peltier effect describes the transfer of heat between two dissimilar materials when an electric current is passed through them. When a current is applied to a thermoelectric material, one side becomes hot while the other side becomes cold. This is due to the flow of electrons from the hot side to the cold side, causing a temperature difference between the two sides.

In a thermoelectric cooling system, this effect is used to create a temperature difference between two sides of a thermoelectric module. One side is placed in contact with the object or area that needs to be cooled, while the other side is exposed to the external environment. As the current flows through the module, heat is absorbed from the object or area and released into the external environment, resulting in cooling.

One of the advantages of thermoelectric cooling is that it does not require any moving parts, making it a reliable and low-maintenance cooling method. It is also a more environmentally friendly option compared to traditional refrigeration methods, as it does not use harmful chemicals such as CFCs.

I hope this explanation helps you understand the working principle of thermoelectric cooling. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.