Thermoelectrics

Benefits of Thermoelectric Heating and Cooling:

  • Ability to cool or heat by simply reversing the current flow
  • Solid-state, few or no moving parts
  • Rugged, highly reliable assemblies
  • Very effective for automatic temperature control
  • Quiet, small, lightweight
  • Environmentally safe

Thermoelectric Basics

Almost two hundred years ago, a Frenchman, Jean Peltier, discovered that when an electrical current passes through a junction formed by two dissimilar conductors, a temperature change occurs.  This is known as the Peltier effect. 

This effect is applied to today’s thermoelectric device (TED).  A TED is a solid-state heat pump that consists of a number of semiconductor elements, sandwiched between two substrates.  The elements are connected electrically in series, and thermally in parallel.   When voltage is applied in one direction, one side creates heat while the other side absorbs heat (cooling). Switching polarity of the circuit creates the opposite effect.  

Thermoelectric devices are perfect for cooling small areas and for precision temperature control of small objects.  Amerigon has extensive experience in integrating TEDs into products for heating and cooling comfort. 

The Future of Thermoelectrics

Thermoelectric technology has not been used in cooling larger areas due to its inefficiencies compared to other cooling methods.  Amerigon, through its subsidiary, BSST, is working to enhance the efficiency of the TED.  With these advancements, the performance and cost will improve, while expanding the number of possible applications of thermomelectrics.