Technical background of thermoelectric technology

A low DC voltage is added on the both sides of thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and heat will flow from one side of the component to the other side. At this time, the temperature on one side of TEC will decrease and the temperature on the other side will increase. It is noteworthy that as long as the current direction is changed, the heat flow direction can be changed. So a TEC can realize two functions, cooling and heating at the same time. TEC can be used for precise temperature control. What’s more, TEC also has the function of power generation. In this mode, if temperature difference is added on TEC, current will be produced in the loop.
The physical photo of TEC

In actual application, semiconductor material mixed by P type and N type semiconductor materials and flow defectors with good conductivity and thermal conductivity are connected in to a single body in series. A TEC is usually made up of one or more pairs of such single body. From the current path, it is a series mode and from the heat flow path, it is a parallel mode.These single bodies and flow defectors are usually mounted between two pieces of ceramic substrates.

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