1.

INTRODUCTION

Refrigeration is the process of pumping heat energy out of an insulated chamber in

order to reduce the temperature of the chamber below that of the surrounding air.
Thermoelectric refrigeration uses a principle called the "PELTIER" effect to pump heat
electronically .The modern Peltier junction is made out of semiconductor material. P -N
junctions are connected electrically in series but thermally in parallel. The P & N doped
elements are soldered to copper connecting strips. Ceramic faceplates electrically insulate
these connecting strips from external surfaces. Bismuth telluride is the semiconductor
material used.

Thermoelectric Refrigeration is a non conventional refrigeration method. When DC

current is passed through the thermo electric chip , one side of chip is get cold and other side
hot. With using this technique either heating or cooling effect is achieved. Thermoelectric
refrigeration replaces the three main working parts with a cold junction, a heat sink and a DC
power source.The refrigerant in both liquid and vapor form is replaced by two dissimilar
conductors. The cold junction (evaporator surface) becomes cold through absorption of
energy by the electrons as they pass from one semiconductor to another, instead of energy
absorption by the refrigerant as it changes from liquid to vapor. The compressor is replaced
by a DC power source which pumps the electrons from one semiconductor to another. A heat
sink replaces the conventional condenser fins, discharging the accumulated heat energy from
the system. A thermoelectric (TE) cooler, sometimes called a thermoelectric module or
Peltier cooler, is a semiconductor-based electronic component that functions as a small heat
pump. By applying a low voltage DC power source to a TE module, heat will be moved
through the module from one side to the other. One module face, therefore, will be cooled
while the opposite face simultaneously is heated. It is important to note that this phenomenon
may be reversed whereby a change in the polarity (plus and minus) of the applied DC voltage
will cause heat to be moved in the opposite direction. a thermoelectric module may be used
for both heating and cooling thereby making it highly suitable for precise temperature control
applications.

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 Thermoelectric coolers are solid-state electronic devices that directly convert
electricity to temperature difference. Without moving parts, thermoelectric coolers are
inherently more reliable and require little to no maintenance. The lack of refrigerants carries
obvious environmental and safety benefits. Thermoelectric technology might offer the
possibility of a safe, efficient, and affordable alternative to fluorocarbon compression
equipments.
When a current is passed through the module a water drop placed on one side will boil
or freeze depending on the direction of the current. The effect is fully reversible; pass the
current the other way & the opposite surfaces will heat & cool. It is important to understand
that a Peltier Module is not a heat sponge which absorbs heat. It is a heat pump. Heat which
is pumped out of the cold surface is deposited on the hot side of the module where it must be
dissipated in some way. If not, the hot side will heat up to the point where it will stop
functioning as a cooling device and actually begin to heat the cold surface.The Peltier-effect
has been now known for 180 years.
The history of thermoelectric effects shows how closely related science and
technology are. And you will see that scientific development sometimes goes strange ways.
All modern science is quantitative. It is not enough to know whether a device works “in
principle” or if it might solve some practical problems.
In many cases, since cooling loads are not very high, flow through fans can be used to
remove excessive heat and moisture build-up in the battery compartments. Fans can also be
used for the thermal management of the compartment using thermal inertia.

Fig. 1.1.Energy Flows In Thermal Engine

Thermoelectric cooling relies fundamentally on the Peltier effect. Electrons passing
through semiconductor materials with alternating conductive properties absorb ambient heat
energy in order to travel through one of the materials and expend this energy as they travel
through the other material.

2
 The energy flow diagram for thermal engines (TE) looks as follows:
• Energy flows into the engine as heat Q1 from a reservoir (called source) at the high
temperature level T1.
• A part of this energy goes away as useful work W to a consumer.
• But there is always a part of (waste) heat Q 2 that flows to a reservoir (called drain) that has
the lower temperature level T2.
Because energy is conserved there must be: Q1 = W + Q2

Thermoelectric cooling is ideal for very small cooling systems. Thermoelectrics are
also ideal when both heating and cooling is needed and when precision temperature control is
required. Thermoelectric systems are also ideal for aerospace applications because the cooler
can be mounted in any orientation and still function properly. However, as the heat load
increases, the advantages that thermoelectric cooling offer in comparison to compressor
systems diminishes.

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 2. LITERATURE SURVEY

 Presently a researcher has studies of water cooling by peltier effect, Thermoelectric

modules with various sizes and cooling capacity are commercially available.

 Some of the literature are collected on the area presented here, The literature is
primarily divided in to a construction of thermoelectric devices and installation of
thermoelectric module. Thermoelectric has found applications in domestic food
refrigerators and air conditioning where the facility to vary the cooling capacity of the
thermoelectric devices to match the particular application has proved an important
factor.

 Thermoelectric coolers are solid-state devices that convert electricity directly to

temperature differentials. Since the discovery of the Peltier effect in the early 19th
century, the ability to construct a solid-state cooling mechanism existed. The Peltier
effect is the principle at work behind thermoelectric coolers or refrigerators. So
thermoelectric coolers are also called Peltier coolers. The effects related to the Peltier
effect are the Thomson effect, Joule heating and heat conduction.

 Broad search for thermoelectric materials with high efficiency has been conducted.
There is no known theoretical impediment to significant increases in thermoelectric
energy conversion efficiency, and given a breakthrough in materials, thermoelectric
technology might offer the possibility of a safe, efficient, and affordable alternative to
fluorocarbon compression equipments.

 Today’s thermoelectric devices are particularly useful when the efficiency is a less
important issue than small size, low weight, or high reliability.

 In general, most applications involving thermoelectric coolers require forced

convective thermal sinks The forced convection is probably the most common heat-
sinking method used with thermoelectric coolers.

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 It offers substantially better performance when compared to natural convection
thermal sinks. Usually the hot-side to the thermoelectric module is soldered to the
thermal sink and the cold-side is greased with a nonsetting thermal compound for
good heat transfer Soldering the top or bottom to the thermal sink could lead to
mechanical breaking due to the thermal expansion mismatch between the module and
the attached thermal sink.

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 3. METHODOLOGY

Jean Peltier noted that when an electrical current is applied across the junction of two
dissimilar metals, heat is removed from one of the metals and transferred to the other. This is
the basis of thermoelectric refrigeration. Thermoelectric modules are constructed from a
series of tiny metal cubes of dissimilar exotic metals which are physically bonded together
and connected electrically. When electrical current passes through the cube junctions, heat is
transferred from one metal to the other. Solid-state thermoelectric modules are capable of
transferring large quantities of heat when connected to a heat absorbing device on one side
and a heat dissipating device on the other. The internal aluminium cold plate fins absorb heat
from the contents, (food and beverages), and the thermoelectric modules transfer it to heat
dissipating fins under the control panel. Here, a small fan helps to disperse the heat into the
air.
Solid-state electrically-driven refrigerators (also named thermo-electric coolers, TEC)
are based on the Peltier effect: when a DC current flows in a circuit formed by two dissimilar
electrical conductors, some heat is absorbed at one junction and some more heat is released at
the other junction, reversing the effects when reversing the sense of the current.
When J. Peltier was studying the Seebeck effect in 1834, he realised the heating and
cooling effects at the junctions. Thermoelectric effects are due to the free-electron-density
variation with temperature and amongst materials, and the associated flows.
the best materials are semiconductors based on bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3).
A typical thermoelectric module consists of pairs of p-type and n-type semiconductor
thermo-elements (one shown in Fig. 3.1) forming thermocouples which are connected
electrically in series and thermally in parallel.

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 Aluminum
plate

Heat Sink

Fig. 3.1 Sketch of a thermo-electric-cooler (TEC) with three thermo-elements.

The system is totally environmentally friendly and contains no hazardous gases,

nor pipes nor coils and no compressor. The only moving part is the small 12-volt fan.
Thermoelectric modules are too expensive for normal domestic and commercial applications
which run only on regular household current. They are ideally suited to recreational
applications because they are lightweight, compact, insensitive to motion or tilting, have no
moving parts, and can operate directly from 12-volt batteries.

If a typical single-stage thermoelectric module was placed on a heat sink that was
maintained at room temperature and the module was then connected to a suitable battery or
other DC power source, the "cold" side of the module would cool down to approximately
-10°C. At this point, the module would be pumping almost no heat and would have reached
its maximum rated temperature difference.If heat was gradually added to the module's cold
side, the cold side temperature would increase progressively until it eventually equaled the
heat sink temperature. At this point the TE cooler would have attained its maximum rated
"heat pumping capacity" (Qmax). In thermoelectric cooling devices, electrons or holes are
energy carriers (equivalent to refrigerants in compressor-based refrigerators) transferring heat
from the cold side to the hot side. There are three important thermoelectric effects: Seebeck
effect, Peltier effect, and Thomson effect.

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 Fig 3.2 . Circuit for the Peltier effect.

A and B are different conductors. The two junctions are at temperatures of T 1 and T2,
respectively. The Peltier effect is the reverse of the Seebeck effect, representing how much
heat current is carried per unit charge current through a given material. Since charge current
must be continuous across a junction, the associated heat flow will develop a discontinuity if
ΠA and ΠB are different. The Peltier effect is the principle at work behind thermoelectric
coolers or refrigerators which are used for transferring heat from one side of the device to the
other. Thermoelectric coolers are also called Peltier coolers. The Seebeck, Peltier, and
Thomson Effects, together with several other phenomena, form the basis of functional
thermoelectric modules. Without going into too much detail, we will examine some of these
fundamental thermoelectric effects.

Figure 3.3. General Thermoelectric Plate

3.1 The Peltier effect :

The peltier effect occurs when you take any two members of the thermoelectric series
and connect wires made of them to form a circuit with two junctions. In the presence of a
current a temperature difference between the junctions is produced. Discovered by the
physicist Jean Peltier in 1834, and has a twin function that works in the opposite direction
called the seebeck effect.

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3.2 Seebeck effect is the phenomenon underlying the conversion of the thermal energy into
electrical power. Two dissimilar conductors at different temperatures create a voltage which
generates thermoelectricity. If we modify our thermocouple circuit to obtain the
configuration shown in Fig 5 , it will be possible to observe an opposite phenomenon known
as the Peltier Effect.

Fig 3.4 Peltier Effect Thermocouple Circuit

If a voltage (Vin) is applied to terminals Tl and T2 an electrical current (I) will flow in
the circuit. As a result of the current flow, a slight cooling effect (Qc) will occur at
thermocouple junction A where heat is absorbed and a heating effect (Qh) will occur at
junction B where heat is expelled. Note that this effect may be reversed whereby a change in
the direction of electric current flow will reverse the direction of heat flow. The Peltier effect
can be expressed mathematically as:

Qc or Qh = pxy x I

Where: pxy is the differential Peltier coefficient between the two materials, x and y, in volts I
is the electric current flow in amperes Qc, Qh is the rate of cooling and heating, respectively,
in watts. Joule heating, having a magnitude of I x R (where R is the electrical resistance), also
occurs in the conductors as a result of current flow. This Joule heating effect acts in
opposition to the Peltier effect and causes a net reduction of the available cooling.

3.3 Comparison Of Thermoelectric Refrigeration And Other Methods Of Refrigeration:

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Thermoelectric Cooling is achieved electronically using the "Peltier" effect – heat is pumped
with electrical energy.

Compressor :

Cooling is achieved by vaporising a refrigerant (such as freon) inside the refrigerator

heat is absorbed by the refrigerant through the principle of the "latent heat of vaporisation"
and released outside the refrigerator where the vapour is condensed and compressed into a
liquid again. It uses mechanical energy.

Absorption :
Cooling is achieved by vaporising a refrigerant (ammonia gas) inside the refrigerator
by "boiling" it out of a water ammonia solution with a heat source (electric or propane). Uses
the principle of "latent heat of vaporisation". The vapour is condensed and re-absorbed by the
ammonia solution outside the refrigerator.

Comparison Of The Features Of All Three System :

COMPACTNESS: Thermoelectrics are the most compact because of the small size of the
cooling components - cooling module / heat sink / cold sink.

WEIGHT: Units weigh 1/3 to 1/2 as much as the other units because of the lightweight
cooling system - no heavy compressor.

PORTABILITY: These are the most portable because they are light enough to carry with one
hand and are not affected by motion or tilting. Compressor models are quite heavy and the
absorption models must be kept level within 2 - 3 degrees.

PRICE: Thermo-Electric Coolers cost 20% - 40% less than the equivalent sized compressor
or absorption units available for recreational use.

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COOLING PERFORMANCE: Compressor systems are potentially the most efficient in hot
weather. Some models will perform as a portable freezer and will refrigerate in ambient
temperatures. Units will refrigerate in sustained ambient temperatures. If they are kept full,
they will refrigerate satisfactorily even if peak daytime temperatures reach maximum because
the contents temperature will lag behind the ambient. The food will be just starting to warm
up when the air cools off in the evening which will bring the food temperature back down to
normal.

SAFETY: System are completely safe because they use no gases or open flames and run on
just 12 volts. Compressor systems can leak freon which can be extremely dangerous
especially if heated. Absorption systems may use propane which can be extremely dangerous.

RELIABILITY: Thermoelectric modules do not wear out or deteriorate with use. They have
been used for military and aerospace applications for years because of their reliability and
other unique features. Compressors and their motors are both subject to wear and freon-filled
coils are subject to leakage and costly repairs. Absorption units are somewhat temperamental
and may require expert servicing from time to time, especially if jarred when travelling.

EASE OF SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE: Thermo-electric units have only one

moving part, a small fan (and 12 volt motor) which can easily be replaced with only a screw
driver. Most parts are easily replaced by the end-user. Compressor and absorption units both
require trained (expensive) mechanics and special service equipment to service them

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 4. FABRICATION OF THERMOELECTRIC DEVICES

The typical materials used for constructing TEC are:

1. Substrate: aluminum oxide (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), or barium oxide
(BaO)
2. Conductor: Copper
3. Thermoelectric semiconductor
i. n-type: bismuth-telluride-selenium (BiTeSe) compound
I i. p-type: bismuth-telluride-antimony (BiTeSb) compound
4. Assembled and joined by solder.

4.1 Thermoelectric Materials :

The thermoelectric semiconductor material most often used in today's TE coolers is an
alloy of Bismuth Telluride that has been suitably doped to provide individual blocks or
elements having distinct "N" and "P" characteristics. Thermoelectric materials most often are
fabricated by either directional crystallization from a melt or pressed powder metallurgy.
Each manufacturing method has its own particular advantage, but directionally grown
materials are most common. In addition to Bismuth Telluride (Bi 2Te3), there are other
thermoelectric materials including Lead Telluride (PbTe), Silicon Germanium (SiGe), and
Bismuth-Antimony (Bi-Sb) alloys

Fig 4.1 Thermoelectric Cooler Schematic

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 The TEC can be made in different shapes and sizes, but most common shape is a
square or a rectangular substrate device. The practical size of a single stage TEC ranges from
3 mm x 3 mm up to 60 mm x 60 mm. The size limitation of 60 mm x 60 mm is due to the
thermal stress. This stress comes from thermal expansion deformations between the cold and
the hot junctions of the TEC. To obtain a larger temperaturedifference, a multistage TEC can
be build.

Thermoelectric Controller (T.E.C) :

Size: 50x40x10

Input Voltage: 12 volt

Input Current: 2 amps

1st semiconductor: bismuth-telluride-selenium (BiTeSe) compound

2nd semiconductor: bismuth-telluride-antimony (BiTeSb) compound

Material of outer casing: PVC -fibre

Max temperature drop: 26 degree per hour.

Connection: Three pins

A single-stage thermoelectric module or device is typically composed of

thermoelectric elements (n- and p- types) that are connected electrically in series and
thermally in parallel and sandwiched between two ceramic plates, as shown in Fig. 4.2. The
thermoelectric elements are interconnected with electric conductors (such as copper). The
ceramic plates form the cold and hot surfaces of the module, providing mechanical integrity
and both electrical insulation and thermal conduction to the heat sink and the object to be
cooled. There are also very few modules without ceramic plates, which could eliminate the
thermal resistance associated with the ceramic plates but may cause mechanical fragility.

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.

Figure 4.2 Single Stage Thermoelectric Module

A multi-stage module is needed when the temperature difference required in some

situations cannot be obtained with a single-stage thermoelectric module. The multi-stage
module is essentially two or more single-stage modules stacked on top of each other. The
lower stage requires greater cooling power to pump the heat dissipated by the upper stage, so
the multistage module is of typical pyramid shape, as shown in Fig. 4.3 .
When a TEC module is connected to DC power source, the cold side of the module
would cool down until the internal heat conduction balances the heat-pump capability (e.g.,
starting at room temperature of 20 ºC, a steady state may be reached with the cold side at -40
ºC if isolated, and the hot side at say 30 ºC if fan-cooled or near 20 ºC if vigorously cooled;
this maximum temperature difference relative to the environment is an important
characteristic of the refrigerator, named ΔTmax. If heat is gradually added to the cold side, the
cold side temperature would increase progressively until it eventually equals the temperature
of the environment, Thermoelectric modules need high heat-transfer efficiencies at both the
cold and the hot junctions, particularly at the hot one, where fins and fan (or better, liquid
cooling) must be provided.

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 Fig. 4.3. Two Stage Module Construction

Fig 4.4 Multi-Stage thermoelectric Modules

4.2 Heat Sink Consideration :

A thermoelectric cooler is a heat pump which moves heat from one location to
another. When electric power is applied to a TE module, one face becomes cold while the
other is heated. In accordance with the laws of thermodynamics, heat from the (warmer) area
being cooled will pass from the cold face to the hot face. To complete the thermal system, the
hot face of the TE cooler must be attached to a suitable heat sink that is capable of dissipating
both the heat pumped by the module and Joule heat created as a result of supplying electrical
power to the module.

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 A heat sink is an integral part of a thermoelectric cooling system and its importance to
total system performance must be emphasized. Since all operational characteristics of TE
devices are related to heat sink temperature, heat sink selection and design should be
considered carefully.

A perfect heat sink would be capable of absorbing an unlimited quantity of heat

without exhibiting any increase in temperature. Since this is not possible in practice, the
designer must select a heat sink that will have an acceptable temperature rise while handling
the total heat flow from the TE device(s). The definition of an acceptable increase in heat sink
temperature necessarily is dependent upon the specific application, but because a TE
module's heat pumping capability decreases with increasing temperature differential, it is
highly desirable to minimize this value. A heat sink temperature rise of 5 to 15°C above
ambient (or cooling fluid) is typical for many thermoelectric applications.

Several types of heat sinks are available including natural convection, forced
convection, and liquid-cooled. Natural convection heat sinks may prove satisfactory for very
low power applications especially when using small TE devices operating at 2 amperes or
less. For the majority of applications, however, natural convection heat sinks will be unable
to remove the required amount of heat from the system, and forced convection or liquid-
cooled heat sinks will be needed.

Heat sink performance usually is specified in terms of thermal resistance (Q):

T s - Ta
Qs=____________
Q

where:

Qs = Thermal Resistance in Degrees C per Watt

Ts = Heat Sink Temperature in Degrees C

Ta =Ambient or Coolant Temperature in Degrees C

Q = Heat Input to Heat Sink in Watts

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 Each thermoelectric cooling application will have a unique heat sink requirement and
frequently there will be various mechanical constraints that may complicate the overall
design. Because each case is different, it is virtually impossible to suggest one heat sink
configuration suitable for most situations. We have several off the shelf heat sinks and liquid
heat exchangers appropriate for many applications but encourage you to contact our
engineering department.

Note that when combining thermoelectric cooling modules and heat sinks into a total
thermal system, it normally is NOT necessary to take into account heat loss or temperature
rise at the module to heat sink junctions. Module performance data presented herein already
includes such losses based on the use of thermal grease at both hot and cold interfaces. When
using commercially available heat sinks for thermoelectric cooler applications, it is important
to be aware that some off-the-shelf units do not have adequate surface flatness. A flatness of
1mm/m (0.001 in/in) or better is recommended for satisfactory thermal performance and it
may be necessary to perform an additional lapping, flycutting, or grinding operation to meet
this flatness specification.

4.3 Heat Load Analysis :

The gross heat pumped by the TE module was designed to match the sum of active
heat loading plus passive heat loading. The active heat load was the transient heat load during
cool-down of the water. The passive heat load was due mostly to insulation losses from
ambient and the plate-to-plate heat load internally in the TE cooling subsystem.Actual
passive heat loads depended on the instantaneous thermal conditions of the system. However,
thermal conductances were constant for a given mechanical configuration. Therefore, thermal
conductances were calculated to instantaneously account for the dynamically changing
passive heat loads. These conductances were inserted into the thermal model and used to
calculate the heat load for each conductance. Calculations were performed for each instant in
time in order to determine the overall dynamic system performance.

Transient Heat Load

It was a design goal that the time required to cool one liter of liquid from 32.5ºC to 5.0ºC
would be a maximum of 90 minutes. The thermal properties of water were used to calculate

17
an average of 55 Watts for the transient heat load of the cooling system during the cool-down
period.

Ambient Heat Load

No significant changes were made in the size and shape of the liquid reservoir.
Therefore, it was only necessary to model the original configuration in order to determine the
ambient heat load. Since the interior volume was liquid, the inside wall temperature was set
equal to the liquid temperature. The exterior wall temperature was not set to ambient but
modeled together with the polyurethane wall insulation and an effective convection
coefficient for still air.

4.4 Forced Convection Heat Sink :

Probably the most common heat-sinking method used with thermoelectric coolers is
forced convection. When compared to natural convection heat sinks, substantially better
performance can be realized. The thermal resistance of quality forced convection systems
typically falls within a range of 0.02 to 0.5°C/watt. Many standard heat sink extrusions are
available that, when coupled with a suitable fan, may be used to form the basis of a complete
cooling assembly. Cooling air may be supplied from a fan or blower and may either be passed
totally through the length of the heat sink or may be directed at the center of the fins and pass
out both open ends. This second air flow pattern, illustrated in Figure (4.5), generally
provides the best performance since the air blown into the face of the heat sink creates greater
turbulence resulting in improved heat transfer. For optimum performance, the housing of an
axial fan should be mounted a distance of 8-20mm (0.31-0.75") from the fins. Other
configurations may be considered depending on the application.

Fig 4.5 Forced Convection Heat Sink System Showing Preferred Air Flow

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 The thermal resistance of heat sink extrusions often is specified at an air flow rate
stated in terms of velocity whereas the output of most fans is given in terms of volume. The
conversion from volume to velocity is:

Velocity = Volume / Cross-sectional Area of Air Passage

4.5 Power Supply :

The power supply is designed to meet the local power requirements of the analog to
digital converter circuit. The requirements of the ADC circuit are 0 – 5vd.C and current
consumption is 300milliamp.Hence full wave rectifier is used to convert ac to dc. The
description of circuit is given below along with circuit diagram:-

Fig. 4.6 : Circuit diagram of power supply.

The appropriate defination of the printed circuit board is an insulating board containing
conductive tracks for circuits connections.

Fig 4.7 A typical type of PCB.

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 PCB layout can be performed manually (using CAD) or in combination with an Auto
router. The best results are usually still achieved using at least some manual routing - simply
because the design engineer has a far better judgments of how to arrange circuitry.
Surprisingly, many auto routed boards are often completely illogical in their track routing -
the program has optimised the connections, and sacrificed any small amount of order that
may have been put in place by manual routing.

Working :

All the electronic components like Resistor, IC’s, Diodes etc are mounted of the
printed circuit board this PCB contain tracks as stated above so the connection are easily
made with the help of soldering with the help of soldering wire.

4.5.1 Circuit Operation :

The 220 volt ac supply is fed to the 220/12 volt transformer, on secondary of
transformer the out put is 12 volt D.C , there two diodes are connected to the two lead of
transformer. The output after diode is full wave rectified output and is 12volt D.C.

4.5.2 Specifications Of Printed Circuit Board (PCB):

SIZE: 100x190mm

Material used: PVC etched

Type of manufacturing: Computerized assembly

Type of lamination: Single laminated pad.

As the requirement of ADC circuit is constant voltage supply a 7805 regulator IC is

connected as shown in the fig 10. The regulator IC 7805 is basically a 3 pin IC in which
middle pin is ground and pin no. 1 is input while pin no. 2 is output. Hence we get the
regulated output 5 volt D.C. The capacitors connected as shown in figure are suppressing
spikes across the load.

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4.6 Transformer :

Fig 4.8 Step Down Transformer

The transformer used here is a step down transformer to step down the A.C. voltage to the
lower valve. A step-down transformer is one whose primary voltage is greater than its
secondary voltage. This kind of transformer "steps down" the voltage applied to it.

4.6.1 Specification Of Transformer :

Type of transformer: Step down transformer

Input Voltage: 220 voltage
Output Voltage: 12 volt
Input current: 2amps
Core Material: copper core

The rated value of the transformer used here is 220V - 12V i.e. The input voltage of 220V is
step down to 12V. This step down transformer consumes 2 amps current. The core of the
transformer is made of Copper as the copper is good conductor of heat and electricity.

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4.7 Fan :

Fig 4.9 . 12 Volts D.C. Fan

The Fan used is a small power supply type fan of 70 mm in dia. It is made up of PVC-
fibre.The revolution per min i.e. RPM of the fan is about 300 RPM. The main function of the
fan is to remove the heat from the aluminum plate so that continuous cooling can be achieved
because in case of peltier plate cooling if heat is not continuously removed then a time of
state come when the flow of electron stop along with the heat flow. So to over come this fan
is used

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4.8 Aluminium Plate (Heat Sink / Fins ) :

Figure 4.10 Heat Sink (Fins)

Aluminum plate is nothing but the heat sink in which the electrons flowing freely
carrying heat give to the aluminium plate. The size of the Aluminum plate used is
(150X80X40) mm.

The Aluminium plate helps in sandwiching the peltier plate from one side.

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 So the function of the Aluminum plate is as follows.

1. To take the heat from the hot side of the peltier plate and to deliver it to the outer side.
2. To support the peltier plate from one side.
3. As the Aluminum is good radiator of the heat it helps in evaporating the heat at faster
rate.

4.9 Installation Of Thermo Electric Modules :

Techniques used to install thermoelectric modules in a cooling system are extremely

important. Failure to observe certain basic principles may result in unsatisfactory
performance or reliability. Some of the factors to be considered in system design and module
installation include the following:

a) Thermoelectric modules have high mechanical strength in the compression mode but
shear strength is relatively low. As a result, a TE cooler should not be designed into a system
where it serves as a significant supporting member of the mechanical structure.

b) All interfaces between system components must be flat, parallel, and clean to minimize
thermal resistance. High conductivity thermal interface material is often used to ensure good
contact between surfaces.

c) The "hot" and "cold" sides of standard thermoelectric modules may be identified by the
position of the wire leads. Wires are attached to the hot side of the module, which is the
module face that is in contact with the heat sink. For modules having insulated wire leads,
when the red and black leads are connected to the respective positive and negative terminals
of a DC power supply, heat will be pumped from the module's cold side, through the module,
and into the heat sink. Note that for TE modules having bare wire leads, the positive
connection is on the right side and the negative connection is on the left when the leads are
facing toward the viewer and the substrate with the leads attached presented on the bottom.

d) When cooling below ambient, the object being cooled should be insulated as much as
possible to minimize heat loss to the ambient air. To reduce convective losses, fans should not
be positioned so that air is blowing directly at the cooled object. Conductive losses also may

24
be minimized by limiting direct contact between the cooled object and external structural
members.

e) When cooling below the dew point, moisture or frost will tend to form on exposed cooled
surfaces. To prevent moisture from entering a TE module and severely reducing its thermal
performance, an effective moisture seal should be installed. This seal should be formed
between the heat sink and cooled object in the area surrounding the TE module(s). Flexible
foam insulating tape or sheet material and/or silicone rubber RTV are relatively easy to install
and make an effective moisture seal. Several methods for mounting thermoelectric modules
are available and the specific product application often dictates the method to be used.
Possible mounting techniques are outlined in the following paragraphs.

4.9.1 Clamping :

The most common mounting method involves clamping the thermoelectric module(s)
between a heat sink and flat surface of the article to be cooled. This approach, as illustrated in
Fig. 15 , usually is recommended for most applications and may be applied as follows:

a) Machine or grind flat the mounting surfaces between which the TE module(s) will be
located. To achieve optimum thermal performance mounting surfaces should be flat to within
1mm/m (0.001 in/in).

b) If several TE modules are mounted between a given pair of mounting surfaces, all modules
within the group must be matched in height/thickness so that the overall thickness variation
does not exceed 0.06mm (0.002"). Module P/N with a "B" ending should be specified.

c) Mounting screws should be arranged in a symmetrical pattern relative to the module(s) so

as to provide uniform pressure on the module(s) when the assembly is clamped together. To
minimize heat loss through the mounting screws, it is desirable to use the smallest size screw
that is practical for the mechanical system. For most applications, M3 or M3.5 (4-40 or 6-32)
stainless steel screws will prove satisfactory. Alternately, nonmetallic fasteners can be used,
e.g., nylon. Smaller screws may be used in conjunction with very small mechanical
assemblies. Belleville spring washers or split lock-washers should be used under the head of
each screw to maintain even pressure during the normal thermal expansion or contraction of
system components

25
 Fig 4.11 : Typical fastener component

d) Clean the module(s) and mounting surfaces to ensure that all burrs, dirt, etc., have been
removed.

e) Coat the "hot" side of the module(s) with a thin layer (typically 0.02mm / 0.001" or less
thickness) of thermally conductive grease and place the module, hot side down, on the heat
sink in the desired location. Gently push down on the module and apply a back and forth
turning motion to squeeze out excess thermal grease. Continue the combined downward
pressure and turning motion until a slight resistance is detected.

f) Coat the "cold" side of the module(s) with thermal grease as specified in step (e) above.
Position and place the object to be cooled in contact with the cold side of the module(s).
Squeeze out the excess thermal grease as previously described.

g) Bolt the heat sink and cooled object together using the stainless steel screws and spring
washers. It is important to apply uniform pressure across the mounting surfaces so that good
parallelism is maintained. If significantly uneven pressure is applied, thermal performance
may be reduced, or worse, the TE module(s) may be damaged. To ensure that pressure is
applied uniformly, first tighten all mounting screws finger tight starting with the center screw
(if any). Using a torque screwdriver, gradually tighten each screw by moving from screw to
screw in a crosswise pattern and increase torque in small increments. Continue the tightening
procedure until the proper torque value is reached. Typical mounting pressure ranges from 25

26
- 100 psi depending on the application. If a torque screwdriver is not available, the correct
torque value may be approximated by using the following procedure: In a crosswise pattern,
tighten the screws until they are "snug" but not actually tight. In the same crosswise pattern,
tighten each screw approximately one quarter turn until the spring action of the washer can be
felt.

h) A small additional amount of thermal grease normally is squeezed out soon after the
assembly is first clamped together

Fig 4.12 . TE Module Installation Using the Clamping Method

4.9.2 Soldering :

Thermoelectric modules that have metallized external faces may be soldered into
an assembly provided that reasonable care is taken to prevent module overheating. Soldering
to a rigid structural member of an assembly should be performed on one side of the module
only (normally the hot side) in order to avoid excessive mechanical stress on the module.
Note that with a module's hot side soldered to a rigid body, however, a component or small
electronic circuit may be soldered to the module's cold side provided that the component or
circuit is not rigidly coupled to the external structure. Good temperature control must be
maintained within the soldering system in order to prevent damage to the TE module due to
overheating. Our thermoelectric modules are rated for continuous operation at relatively high

27
temperatures (150 or 200°C) so they are suitable in most applications where soldering is
desirable. Naturally these relative temperatures should not be exceeded in the process. Since
the coefficients of expansion of the module ceramics, heat sink and cooled object vary, we do
not recommend soldering modules larger than 15 x 15 millimeters.

4.9.3 Procedure For Mounting Modules With Thermal Paste :

1. Make sure the module-mounting surface is sufficiently flat. The surface should be flat
within 0.025 mm across all of the mounting area that the module(s) will encompass. There
should be no readily detectable ridges left by the metal surfacing equipment.

2. If using more than one module in the assembly, ensure that the modules share a common
height within 0.025 mm.

3. Prepare cold plate and heat sink screw holes: Locate screw holes at opposite ends of the
module. They should be at a minimum of 4 mm up to a maximum of 15 mm away from the
edge of the module, as shown below. Drill a clearance hole through one plate (no threads),
and drill and tap the other plate accordingly (hole with threads). If the heat exchanger has
fins, locate the screw holes in the same plane line as the heat exchanger fins. This orientation
utilizes the additional structural strength of the fins to prevent the heat exchanger from
bowing (bending) under the compression force.

28
 Fig 4.13 Mounting TE Module

4. Remove all burrs, chips, and foreign matter from the thermoelectric modulemounting area.
Thoroughly clean the thermoelectric module, heat-sink, and coldplate surfaces.
5. Apply a thin, continuous film of thermal paste to the hot side of the module and to
module-mounting area on the heat sink. Place hot side of the module onto the heat sink.
6. Gently move the module a small amount back and forth while exerting uniform downward
pressure. Continue this motion until you feel resistance. This will work out most of the excess
thermal paste between the module and the heat sink.
7. Repeat step #5 for cold side of the module and the module-mounting area on the
cold plate.
8. Position cold plate on module.
9. Compress the assembly by hand to seat the cold plate onto the module.
10. Apply lubricant to the screw threads, and install the screws and washers.

4.10 Assembly :
First of all the Peltier plate is taken and is sandwiched between heat sink and the
container. Then the whole sandwiched material is welded into the tank were we want the
cooling. Again the tank with the peltier plate is kept in body for the purpose of proper
insulation (the outer body should be larger in size than the tank with the peltier plate). In

29
 between the two tank we fill the insulation material to make the heat loss as low as
possible. The circuit is connected and then digital temperature indicator is connected in it.
Polarity changing switch is also used so that we can get cooling and heating
simultaneously when required in the same container.

4.10.1 Steps :
1) Collect all the required materials.
2 ) Join appropriate circuit terminals in AC to DC circuit .
3) Place circuit on outer fibre body.
4) Connect TE plate to the circuit which required 12 V.
5) Take the test TE plate whether it will cool or not.
6) Apply thermal compound on both side of TE plate.
7) Clamp TE plate on heat sink with stainless steel screws.
8) Attach fan on fins or heat sink with help of connecting clips which are available
on fan body.
9) Take a 12L aluminum container for storage purpose.
10) Clamp assembly of TE plate to container with help of SS screws from outside of
container.
11) Take input power terminal out side the body.
12) Place glass wool in between container & body as insulator.
13) Adhere firmly container and body with the help of suitable adhesive.
14) Take test by putting bottles of water in to container.
15) Close the container by head cover.
16) Give A.C power to input terminals.
17) Set the required temperature on front control panel
18) Note the temperature with the help of digital thermometer whose probe is
attached to the inner side of the container.
19) After getting required temperature from cooler put the power off.
20) Wait while the temperature of the container reaches to ambient temperature.
21) When ambient temperature reaches , set the temperature on front control panel
for getting readings for heating process of thermoelectric plate.
22) Note readings for heating same as with 10 minutes intervals till the required
temperatures will reach.
23) Create a observation table for readings of cooling and heating of refrigerator

30
 cum warmer.

24) Plot the graph of temperature versus time with the help of readings

4.10.2 Precaution :

The following precautions were observed during the conduct of the experiments:
1. The inlet temperature of the air was carefully regulated.
2. The lid of the cooler must be properly sealed; else, leakage or suction of air from outside
may lead to a drastic reduction in the performance of the cooler.
3. The blower mouth must be properly sealed with insulation to block off all gaps that may
have been left between the blower faceplate and the cooler body plate. All the holes in the
slotted angle frame as well as the spaces between the cooler outer plates and the frame must
be sealed with insulation. If this is not ensured, air from the surroundings will mix with the
air inside.
4. Room fans must be turned off during testing. If this is not ensured, fan will cause exit air
to mix with the inlet air (if the apparatus is drawing air from the room). This will alter the
conditions of the inlet air and render the results erroneous.
5. The exit air from the heat exchanger must not be allowed to mix with the inlet air. To
achieve this, the heat exchanger must empty the heated stream into the surroundings, away
from the immediate vicinity of cooler air inlet. If this is not ensured, the humidity level of the
inlet air may become significantly different from that of the ambient air, causing results to be
erroneous.
6. The device for measuring the temperature of the final exit air was held close to the mouth
of the blower, near the middle of the blower face cross section. This precaution is critical
because the velocity profile of the exit air differs across blower cross section, especially near
the blower mouth walls. If the device is held too close to this wall, the small velocity of the
exit air may result in the exit air not reaching the probes in the measuring device. This would
give wrong results.

31
4.10.3 Specifications :

Gross capacity: 12 litres

Voltage: 12/24 volts DC / 110-240 volts AC , 65-80 W

Refrigeration: 30-35°C below ambient temperature

Temperature 5°C to + 50°C at + 30°C ambient, step-lessly controlled with two
Control : thermostats
Heating: Upto 65° C

Insulation: CFC-free full PU foam core

Colour: White / Grey

Dimensions : 380 x 280 x 280 mm (L x W x H)

Weight: 6.5 kg
No compressor / No Refrigerant Gas/Coils, CFC free,
Quality features: Environment Friendly.

32
 5. WORKING

Figure 5.1 Concept Of Working

EXPLAINATION :
5.1 Working Of Cooling :

1) When 12 V is applied to thermo electric plate then one side of thermo electric plate
cools and the apposite side heats.

33
2) Cool side of the plate connected to container so the object inside the container
cools .
3) Exhausted hot air on other side of plate is transferred to atmosphere through heat
sink and fan .
4) Fan provides forced convection to get minimum time for cooling.
5) As time goes on increasing temperature decreases.
6) t α 1 / T where t – time and T – temperature
5.2 Working Of Warming :

1) In warming procedure the P-N junction diode interchanges N-P junction diode
2) So the side which is connected to container is heated and other side cools.
3) Thermo-electric plate extracts cool air from inside to atmosphere through heat sink
and fan.
4) As time goes on increasing temperature increases
5) t α T where t – time and T - temperature

Figure 5.2 General working

34
Features
5.4 Experiments/Results :

5.4.1 Readings For Cooling :

Time Interval = 10 minutes

Required Temperature = 5.0 oC

Ambient Temperature = 32.5 oC

Sr. No. Time Taken (min.) Temperature ( oC )

1 0 32.5
2 10 21.5
3 20 14.6
4 30 11.5
5 40 9.3
6 50 7.1
7 60 6.1
8 70 5.7
9 80 5.5
10 90 5.0

Table No.1 Time-Temp Table

35
 Figure 5.4 Time-Temp Graph

5.4.2 Readings for Heating

Time Interval = 5 minutes

Required Temperature = 55.0 oC

Ambient Temperature = 32.5 oC

Sr. Time Taken Temperature ( oC )

No.
1 (min.)
0 32.5
2 5 38.7
3 10 50.0
4 15 54.1
36
5 20 55.0
 Table No. 2 ( Time-Temp Table)

Figure 5.5 Graph (Time-Temp Graph)

37
 6. MATERIAL

6.1 BILL OF MATERIAL (BOM) :

Sr.No. Name of the component Specification Quantity Material Cost

(mm)

1 Thermo-electric plates 50X40X10 2 nos - 5000/-

2 Fan 70  2 nos PVC-Fibre 900/-

3 A.C To D.C Circuit 100X190 --- PVC-etched 300/-

board
5 Heat Sink (Fins) 150X80X40 1 nos Aluminium 800/-

6 Container 340X200X220 ---- Aluminium 700/-

7 Thermal Compound --- 50gm ---- 200/-

8 Transformer 210 v - 12v 1 nos Copper core 100/-

9 Body 380X280X330 1 nos PVC-Fibre 1500/-

10 Relay & Thermostat --- 1 nos --- 300/-

11 Front Control Panel 90X40 1 nos PVC-Fibre 1200/-

12 Digital Thermometer 40X20X10 1 nos PVC-Fibre 500/-

13 Insulator ------ 500 gm Glass Wool 200/-

14 Other Accessories - - - 600/-

TOTAL 12300/-

Table No. 3 Bill of Material

38
Total Cost = Material cost + Assembly Cost
= 12300 + 1700
= 14000 /-

7. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE SCOPE

7.1 CONCLUSION :
It is concluded that our project has been used for cooling purpose, chilled water can
be availed. In our project storage type water cooler is used which makes water available at
constant temperature irrespective of ambient temperature and meant to produce water at
about 5oC for the thirst of people working in hot environment .
A thermoelectric module may be used for both heating and cooling thereby
making it highly suitable for precise temperature control applications.

This project is practically possible and has a great scope for domestic & commercial
purpose& is a social need in our day to day life. Peltier plate cooler can decrease the usage of
large amount of electricity as in case of other normal domestic refrigerator & must be made
in as soon as possible to save our existing resources.
Thus, we as a team have learnt the different steps and stages that should be
considered while making a project .. It has taught us how to work and utilized our entire skills
and concentration in work and has given confidence to work professionally. We have
understood and experience the job responsibilities practically.

7.2 FUTURE SCOPE :

The research that could lead to energy efficient applications of thermoelectric

technology in large scale air conditioners and refrigerators would fall into two categories:

1) Development of thermoelectric materials:

39
Relatively low efficiency of thermoelectric coolers has limited their application for domestic
cooling. A central issue in thermoelectric community is to develop new thermoelectric
materials with high performance. The use of nanostructures for thermoelectr
applications was triggered by the conceptual studies on the potential benefits of quantum
confinement of electrons. Since then, much attention has been paid to the development of
nanostructures for enhancing performance.

2) Development of new thermoelectric devices:

Instead of utilizing a full-fledged thermoelectric cooling system, it is highly possible to use a
currently commercially available thermoelectric cooler to improve the performance of an
existing vapor compression system, so called “hybrid system.” For example, a hybrid vapor
compression – thermoelectric cooler systems could take advantage of the temperature lift
capability of thermoelectric elements to enhance the outlet subcooling of a
condenser.Thermoelectric heat pumps could operate at very high COP (possibly COP>6)
under the condition of small temperature lift.

3) A theoretical maximum improvement of 16.2% in COP can be achieved. The

corresponding increase in cooling capacity is about 20%.

4) A theoretical maximum improvement of 35% in capacity can be achieved,

without change in COP.

40
 REFERENCES

1. AHMADUL AMEEN; “REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING

Prentice-hall India. Publication, P.P. 94-99.

2. ARORA AND DOMKUNDWAR; “REFRIGERATION AND AIR

CONDITIONING”, Dhanpatrai publication, P.P. 10.1-10.8

3. L. I. ANATYCHUK, “THERMOELEMENTS AND THERMOELECTRICAL

DEVICES”,P.P.151, Kiev, 1979.

4. DR. BAO YANG THERMOELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT, Report No.

10120-01, Final Repor,tMay 2007

5. MANOHAR PRASAD: “REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING (edition-

2nd)” ;New age international publication ;P.P.279-304.

6. TODD M. RITZER AND PAUL G. LAU : “ECONOMIC OPTIMIZATION OF

HEAT SINK DESIGN” Authors: TE Technology, Inc.1590 Keane Drive
P.P.1-2.

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