The Peltier cell is widely used in different sectors of the industry for refrigeration tasks, as it is a system that has several advantages over more traditional cooling systems.In this article we explain what a Peliter cell is and how it works.A Peltier thermoelectric cooler, heater, or heat pump is an active, solid-state heat pump that transfers heat from one side of the device to the other, consuming electrical power, depending on the direction of the current.Such an instrument is also called a Peltier cell, Peltier heat pump, solid-state refrigerator, or thermoelectric refrigerator (TEC).A Peltier cell can be used for heating or cooling, although in practice the main application is cooling.It can also be used as a temperature controller that heats or cools.We recommend reading our post on Best heatsinks, fans and liquid cooling for PCsThermoelectric cooling uses the Peltier effect to create a flow of heat between the junction of two different types of materials.This technology is much less applied to refrigeration than vapor compression refrigeration.The main advantages of a Peltier cell compared to a vapor compression refrigerator are its lack of moving parts or circulating liquid, very long service life, invulnerability to leaks, small size and flexible shape.Its main disadvantages are high cost and poor energy efficiency.Many researchers and companies are trying to develop cheap and efficient Peltier coolers.A Peltier cooler can also be used as a thermoelectric generator.When operating as a cooler, a voltage is applied across the device, and as a result, a temperature difference will be generated between the two sides.When operating as a generator, one side of the device is heated to a higher temperature than the other, and as a result, a difference in voltage will be generated between the two sides (the Seebeck effect).However, a well designed Peltier cooler will be a mediocre thermoelectric generator and vice versa, due to different design and packaging requirements.Thermoelectric coolers work by the Peltier effect (which is also known by the more general name thermoelectric effect).The device has two sides, and when a DC electrical current flows through the device, it carries heat from one side to the other, so one side gets colder while the other gets hotter.The "hot" side is attached to a heat sink so it stays at room temperature, while the cold side drops below room temperature.In some applications, multiple chillers can be cascaded to reduce temperature.For its manufacture, two unique semiconductors are used, one of type n and one of p, because they need to have different electron densities.The semiconductors are placed thermally in parallel with each other and electrically in series, and then bonded with a thermally conductive plate on each side.When a voltage is applied to the free ends of the two semiconductors, there is a DC current flow across the junction of the semiconductors causing a temperature difference.The side with the cooling plate absorbs the heat which is then moved to the other side of the device where the heat sink is located.Thermoelectric coolers are usually connected side by side between two ceramic plates.The cooling capacity of the total unit is proportional to the number of TECs in it.A single stage TEC will typically produce a maximum temperature difference of 70°C between its hot and cold sides.The more heat a TEC moves, the less efficient it becomes, as it needs to dissipate both the heat it moves and the heat it generates from its own power draw.The amount of heat that can be absorbed is proportional to current and time.Some benefits of using an ECT are:Some disadvantages of using a TEC are:This ends our article on what the Peliter Cell is and how it works, remember that you can share it on social networks so that it can help more users who need it.In Professional Review you will find all the most interesting analyses, news and tutorials.Specialists in hardware, PC configurations, peripherals, software, smartphones and any technological product that we see interesting.Join our community!