Computer Cooling - Peltier (thermoelectric) Cooling

Peltier (thermoelectric) Cooling

In 1821 T. J. Seebeck discovered that different metals, connected at two different junctions, will develop a micro-voltage if the two junctions are held at different temperatures. This effect is known as the "Seebeck effect"; it is the basic theory behind the TEC (thermoelectric cooling).

In 1834 Jean Peltier discovered the inverse of the Seebeck effect, now known as the "Peltier effect": applying a voltage to a thermocouple creates a temperature differential between two sides. This results in an effective, albeit extremely inefficient, heat pump.

Modern TECs use several stacked units each composed of dozens or hundreds of thermocouples laid out next to each other, which allows for a substantial amount of heat transfer. A combination of bismuth and tellurium is most commonly used for the thermocouples.

As active heat pumps which consume power, TECs can produce temperatures below ambient, impossible with passive heatsinks, radiator-cooled fluid cooling, and heatpipe HSFs.