CUI Devices’ Thermal Management Group Expands its Peltier Module Product Line
The new Micro Peltier Modules feature package sizes with dimensions from 3.4mm to 9.5mm with profiles as low as 1.95mm.
When forced air cooling isn’t practical, these silent, solid-state devices offer precise temperature control for space-constrained designs. CUI notes that this new line is most appropriate for sealed environments, refrigeration and for both industrial and medical applications.
Image courtesy of CUI
What is a Peltier Module?
The Peltier Effect occurs when an electric current passes through the junction between two dissimilar conductors, resulting in a rise in temperature in one conductor, and a cooling of the other. It is, in effect, the opposite of a thermocouple, in which a temperature differential can create a voltage
A Peltier Module exploits this phenomena for the purpose of controlling heat. As described by CUI, Peltier modules consist of two ceramic plates separated by a semiconductor structure, as illustrated below.
Basic diagram of a Peltier module. Image courtesy of CUI
On application of electricity, one of the plates absorbs heat from a physical space that needs to be cooled. The other plate becomes hotter, serving to dissipate that heat. It must be understood that that Peltier modules can’t actually absorb heat, but instead transfer heat away from the area to be cooled. That heat, on the now-hot side, will need to be dissipated, as diagrammed below.
Peltier module drawing away heat. Image courtesy of CUI
CUI Devices’ Micro Peltier modules
When the heat sink side is at 50℃, there is a possibility of a “temperature delta” of 77°C for some models. That means that the side to be cooled can be brought down to -27°C.
QMAX is the maximum amount of heat that can be transferred out of the device by the Peltier module, specified in watts. For these new CUI units, the range is from 0.2 to 4.7 watts.
CUI Devices offers guidelines as to choosing what device to use for specific design needs, and the voltage and current inputs that will be needed. Designers need to pay careful attention to specifications, to make sure that a given model can serve its intended purpose.
Current and voltage ratings ratings are from 0.7 to 3.4 Amps and from 0.5 to 3.9 volts, respectively.
Several models feature gold plated faces, rendering them suitable for solder mounting.
The new Micro Peltier Line
The new units are arranged into seven separate series of devices, differentiated by the total amount of current that they can handle. The range from the CP07-M series, which can handle 0.7 amps, to the CP34-M series at 3.4 amps. CUI provides a complete list.
From the list page, readers can access “View Now” for any of the seven separate series, which provides a listing of all members. For example, there are nine members of the aforementioned CP07-M series.
It is also possible to access the data sheets of any of the seven lines. What’s really interesting and informative here are the two graphic performance diagrams that are illustrated for the behavior of each member of that series.
For example, the CP07-M series data sheet provides two performance curves for each of the nine members of the series. They illustrate what’s possible for “hot sides” of both 27℃ and 50℃.
Image courtesy of CUI
The example is for the CP603315H Peltier module, a member of the CP60H series.
