Working Principle of Thermoelectric Cooling Technology
Its core physical principle is the Peltier effect (discovered in 1834 by the French physicist Jean Charles Peltier):
Constructing the circuit: Connect an N-type semiconductor and a P-type semiconductor using a metal current-carrying strip to form a complete circuit.
Electric current flow: When direct current flows from an N-type semiconductor to a P-type semiconductor, in order to conserve energy, charge carriers (electrons and holes) must absorb energy as they pass through the junction between the two materials in order to continue moving forward.
Endothermic and Exothermic:
Cold end (cooling end): At the upstream junction in the direction of current flow, both electrons and holes leave their original semiconductor material. This "leaving" process requires absorbing a large amount of thermal energy from the external environment—the energy of lattice vibrations—resulting in a sharp drop in the temperature of this junction and producing a cooling effect.
Hot end (heat-releasing end): At the downstream junction in the direction of current flow, both electrons and holes enter a new semiconductor material. This "entry" process releases a significant amount of energy, which is dissipated as heat, causing the temperature of this junction to rise.
The current drives electrons and holes, forcibly transferring heat from one end to the other.
An important feature: If the direction of the direct current is reversed, the cold end and the hot end will immediately swap places. This makes thermoelectric cooling devices not only suitable for refrigeration but also capable of precise heating or temperature control.
In practical applications, a single semiconductor pair produces only a small temperature difference and a modest amount of heat pumping. Therefore, dozens or even hundreds of N-type and P-type semiconductor thermoelectric couples are typically connected in series and parallel via a ceramic substrate to form a standard thermoelectric cooling module.
Appearance: A small, flat, square or rectangular module, typically ranging from a few millimeters to a few centimeters thick.
Structure: The top and bottom are insulating ceramic plates, with an array of semiconductor particles in the middle, connected by copper or other metal current-carrying strips.
Operating principle: When power is applied, one side of the module becomes cold (the cold side), while the other side becomes hot (the hot side).
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