Thermoelectric generators (TEG’s) can convert temperature differences into electric current flow. TEG’s are solid state electronic analogues of heat engines. Like heat engines, these devices can convert a portion of a heat flow from a hot reservoir to a cold reservoir into useful work, but without moving parts, and can be “run in reverse” to create refrigerators, with work performed on the device resulting in pumping heat from the cold reservoir to the hot reservoir. Thus, performing electrical work on these devices results in cooling one face and heating the other. TEG’s optimized for running as cooling devices are often known as Peltier Coolers. Applications as heat engines include utilization as power sources for deep space probes, such as the NASA’s radioisotope thermoelectric generators, RTG’s, and harvesting waste heat under a variety of conditions. Applications as refrigerators include use in small portable consumer coolers and for cooling high performance microprocessors. TEG’s and Peltier coolers represent interesting systems for study in the physical chemistry teaching laboratory, although we are unaware of any existing laboratory exercises for the undergraduate chemistry students. We report here preliminary work aimed at creating such a laboratory experience for advanced undergraduates (juniors and seniors). TEG’s are relatively small and readily commercially available. They are convenient, relatively inexpensive, and are amenable and easily adaptable to experimentation. DC potentials or currents may be applied to the TEG’s or Peltier coolers and such information as temperature separation may be obtained. Alternatively, thermal conditions are also readily specified and controlled through the use of constant temperature baths and thermal masses with gathering of output potentials and current from the devices. Data acquisition is accomplished by interfacing voltmeters, ammeters and temperature probes to personal computers. We report here the measurement of Seebeck coefficients and refrigeration energy efficiency for several commercially available TEG/Peltier cooler modules.

Thermoelectric generators and Peltier coolers for the physical chemistry teaching laboratory

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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