Peltierefekt

The Peltier effect is a thermoelectric phenomenon discovered by Jean Charles Athanase Peltier in 1834. It describes the phenomenon where an electric current flowing through the junction of two different conductors or semiconductors causes a temperature change at that junction. If current flows in one direction, the junction absorbs heat and becomes colder. If the current is reversed, the junction releases heat and becomes warmer. This heat transfer is proportional to the current and a material-dependent property known as the Peltier coefficient.

This effect is the inverse of the Seebeck effect, which describes the generation of a voltage when there is a temperature difference across a junction of two different conductors. Both effects are fundamental to thermoelectricity. The Peltier effect can be used for cooling or heating applications. Devices that utilize the Peltier effect are known as thermoelectric coolers (TECs) or Peltier modules. These modules consist of multiple P-type and N-type semiconductor elements connected electrically in series and thermally in parallel, sandwiched between two ceramic plates.

When a DC voltage is applied, one ceramic plate becomes cold while the other becomes hot. TECs are widely used in applications where precise temperature control is required, such as in portable refrigerators, air conditioners for small spaces, cooling electronic components, and in scientific instruments. The efficiency of Peltier coolers is generally lower than conventional vapor-compression refrigeration systems, but they offer advantages like solid-state construction, no moving parts, silence, and compact size.