February 24, 2015

Alexander Gonsalves V00800702

Experiment 8
Thermoelectric Effects

Object: To study the electric effects present when a temperature gradient is

established across a homogeneous conductor.
Theory:
A heat current is established when electrons on the hot end of a conductor
have more kinetic energy than the electrons at the cold end, and the electrons
begin to move from one end to the other. This effect develops an electric field that
opposes the normal flow of charge thus creating an emf across the conductor:

V 1=S1 T , where

S 1 is the thermoelectric power.

The Peltier effect is observable when two dissimilar conductors are joined at
one end and a current is passed through them both, leaving a flow of heat from the
junction with a rate of heat flow H:
Here, the

12

H=

dQ
= 12 I .
dt

component is the Peltier coefficient. The Peltier effect leaves

one part of the junction colder than the other part, and this effect is easily
reversible by simply reversing the applied current.
A Thermoelectric Module (TE) is a heat pump that uses the Peltier effect as
the source for the pump. The rate of heat flow from the cold block though the TE in
this experiment is given by:

T T h
1
H=S12 T c I m I m2 Rm + c
, with
2
R th
the coefficient for the TE,

T c is the temperature of the cold block in Kelvin,

the temperature of the heat sink in Kelvin,

Rth

is the rate of heat flow in watts,

S 12 is
T h is

I m is the current through the module,

is the thermal resistance of the module and

Rm

is the electrical resistance

of the module.

Rth

is determined by

T c T h
, where P is the electrical power used to
P

heat the cold block.

The equation for the rate of heat flow through the module is only valid for
when the cold block has reached equilibrium and the module is turned off.

February 24, 2015

Alexander Gonsalves V00800702

Apparatus: Thermoelectric Module, Power Supply, Cold block, Module, Heat Sink,
Resistors, Thermometers, Voltmeters, Ammeters, LoggerPro.
Diagram:

Procedure:
1- The circuitry required was set up by the lab instructor to ensure accuracy and
to allow for enough time to do the experiment.
2- The water flow through the heat sink was turned on and allowed to stabilize
for at least ten minutes.
3- 20 watts was dissipated in the resistors and voltmeter readings across the
module and temperatures of the cold block and the heat sink were all
recorded every degree of rise the temperature of the cold block.
4- A graph of

V m as a function of

T c T h

was produced to find the slope

representing the Seebeck coefficient for the TE module.

5- The power supply was adjusted so that 2 watts of power were supplied to the
heating resistors on the cold block, adjusting the variac so the two
temperatures became the same.
6- The heating resistor current and voltage, the voltage across the module

V m , the current through the module and the temperatures of the cold block
and the heat sink

T c T h .

7- Steps 5 and 6 were repeated save for adding 2 watts to the power supplied
before each time changing the temperatures to equilibrium.
8- An empirical non-linear curve of these data points were plotted and a
theoretical curve of H as a function of

I m was plotted on the same graph.

9- The coefficient of performance was calculated and using the empirically

obtained value of H to plot a final graph of the coefficient of performance as a
function if

I m.

Data: See attached Excel Data Sheets.

Calculations:

February 24, 2015

Seebeck Coefficient

Alexander Gonsalves V00800702

S 12 from slope graph of

V m as a function of

T c T h :

0.011325.144E-5 V/K

Rth =

T c T h 67 2 C11.4 2 C
=
P
20W 0.5 W

Sample Uncertainty

Rth :

C=C

= 2.78 W

A 2 B 2
+
=
A
B

)( )

0.122 W

Rth = 2.78

K
K
2 C 2 0.5W 2
(
)
+(
)
=0.122
W
W 55.6 C
20W

Sample

T T h
1
H theoretical=S 12 T c I m I m2 R m+ c
2
Rth

0.01132 5.144E5

V
1
( 284.55 K 2 K ) ( 1 0.025 A ) ( 1 0.025 A )2 ( 0.23 ) +0=3.11 0.0819 W
K
2

(Remainder of calculations on Data Sheet accompanying associated graph)

Sample C.O.P

H
3.11 W 0.0819W
=
=11.1 4.01
I m V m (1 A 0.025)(0.278 V 0.1)

(Remainder of calculations on Data Sheet accompanying associated graph)

Discussion:
It is important to ensure that the Module returns to thermal equilibrium each
time you take measurements for the Peltier effect. If you do not, the rate of Heat
flow, H, will end up being above or below the theoretical values at each module
current. It will be above if you do not let it go back to thermal equilibrium because
there is more heat to dissipate at the current setting you have. If it is below, that
means that there was some heat lost to the surroundings during the course of the
experiment.
The H vs Im experimental curve that was found during the experiment was
above the empirical or theoretical curve attained through calculations. This can be
attributed to not allowing enough time during the measurements for the
temperatures to reach equilibrium once again. This leads to an excess of heat
accumulating that would end up translating the curve up.
The COP as a function of Im graph showed an inverse exponential relationship
between the two. The COP exponentially dropped as the current increased. This

February 24, 2015

Alexander Gonsalves V00800702

indicates that the performance decreased as the current across the module
increased because there was more and more heat that was not pumped out via the
heat sink and the heat sink on relieves a certain amount of heat every second
leaving leftover heat to accumulate, thus the exponential growth in heat and the
exponential drop in performance.
The major source of error during the lab would be the amount of heat that is
lost to the surroundings due to the environment not being a very isothermal area.
When you touched the heat sink or the cold block you could physically feel the
temperature, indicating some transfer of heat energy.

Conclusions:
A linear graph was attained from the graph of
giving a slope for the Seebeck Coefficient

V m as a function of

T c T h

S 12 of 0.011325.144E-5 V/K. The H vs

Im experimental curve that was found during the experiment was above the
empirical or theoretical curve attained through calculations indicating that there
was not enough time left for the apparatus to attain thermal equilibrium. A final
graph of the coefficient of performance as a function of I m gave an inverse
relationship between the performance and the current across the module, correctly
indicating that as the current increases the performance of the module decreases.
Questions:
1. The second term is negative because the internal electrical resistance of the
module will take away some of the heat through the resistor as the current
passes through the resistors.
2. Metals are goo electrical conductors but arent always good thermal
conductors such as in tungsten. Electrical and thermal conductivity are
related to the thermal speed of the electrons present in the object. Electrical
Conductivity is inversely proportional to the thermal speeds of the electrons
present in the material while thermal conductivity is directly proportional to
it.