In actual applications,
thermoelectric cooler includes two or more couples of semiconductor galvanic arms. Put electric and heat conductive inducer in series to make a single component. A TEC module is made up of one or multiple such single component in series from the view of current path, and in parallel from the view of heat path. The single component and inducer is generally installed between the two ceramic plates, which are used to connect all the parts mechanically, and keep every single component and other structure insulated from the outer soldering surface. When all the parts are correctly installed, the TEC module usually has a square shape with the height of 2.5-5mm.
A TEC module needs to use P type and N type bismuth telluride. This guarantees that the heat flows in one direction when the current flows between P type and N type galvanic arms. Through doping, excess electrons will be created in N type material, while excess electron holes will be produced in P type one. These excess electrons and holes are the carriers for transporting electricity and heat. The figure above shows typically that a heat transfer process after a
TEC modules is powered on. Most of
TEC modules has the same quantity of P and N type galvanic arms, and one P and one N make a thermocouple, e.g. in the picture above, there are two thermocouples.
