TEC controllers are used for thermoelectric cooling and heating in combination with Peltier elements or resistive heaters.
Peltier elements are heat pumps which transfer heat from one side to the other, depending on the direction of the electrical current.
Using Peltier elements in combination with our TEC controllers, there are solutions in various application fields. Following a selection of examples, how Peltier elements can be used to control temperatures.
Ophthalmic Lasers
To obtain a constant emission wavelength, laser diodes are kept at a constant temperature. Peltier elements are used for laser diode cooling and to cool the crystals.
Ultrashort Pulse Laser
Femtosecond laser and picosecond lasers are ultrashort pulse lasers. These ultrafast lasers allow new possibilities in material processing called micro and nano processing.
Reference Light Sources
Thermoelectric modules are used to keep reference light sources at constant temperature to achieve a stable light output.
Ice Point Reference
Ice Point References built with Peltier elements are used for high precision calibration and in-production inspection.
Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC)
Lab-on-a-chip technology allows faster analysis and compactness in medical diagnostic. Peltier elements can be used to temper base plates or electronic circuits.
Thermal Cycler
Thermal cyclers (thermocycler, PCR machine or DNA amplifier) are used for temperature-sensitive reactions in laboratories like live cell imaging. Peltier elements allow a great temperature range, high temperature stability and precision in combination with precise TEC controllers.
Night Vision Devices (Image Intensifier)
To minimize image noise, image sensors in night vision devices can be cooled.
Radiation Detectors
As thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation, keeping sensors and devices at low temperatures can help to minimize the noise problem.
Microscale Thermophoresis
Microscale Thermophoresis is used to quantify biomolecular interactions, measuring the motion of molecules along temperature gradients. Peltier elements are used to keep the base plate at a constant temperature or stabilize the infrared-laser.
Spectroscopy
Cooling of electromagnetics in electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometers is one application where Peltier elements are used. Another is the cooling of CCD detectors with Peltier elements. (CCD Chip Cooling)
Cryopreservation
Peltier elements allow cooling below the freezing point. Cryopreservation is a process where cells, tissues and other substances are preserved by cooling them to sub-zero temperatures.
Hot Ambient Temperatures
If you use for example cameras with CMOS sensors in an ambient with hot temperature, you may lose precision and noise problems can occur. So, cameras and other equipment can be cooled to achieve for example better results at high ISO and long exposures.
Cooling Operating Controls
In some environments it could be comfortable to cool or heat control elements to another temperature than ambient temperature.
Industrial Processes
Countless applications in industrial processes are facilitated using thermoelectric modules. Examples are metallurgy, semiconductor lithography and hardening / curing needs.
Resistive Heater
Resistive Heating using resistive foil, cartridge or metal ceramic heaters.
Battery Cooling of Electric Cars
Thermoelectric cooling with Peltier elements is also used to cool Li-Ion-Batteries of electric cars, when charging the batteries.
Cooling and holding food warm in the gastronomy
Peltier cooling has the advantage that quickly perishable food can be cooled thermoelectrically in preparation in a space-saving manner. While other foods are kept warm in an energy-saving manner ("Holdomat").