Thermoelectric heat pump

Thermoelectric heat pumps use the thermoelectric effect, specifically the Peltier effect, to heat or cool materials by applying an electrical current across them. A Peltier cooler, heater, or thermoelectric heat pump is a solid-state active heat pump which transfers heat from one side of the device to the other, with consumption of electrical energy, depending on the direction of the current. Such an instrument is also called a Peltier device, Peltier heat pump, solid state refrigerator, or thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and occasionally a thermoelectric battery. It can be used either for heating or for cooling, although in practice the main application is cooling since heating can be achieved with simpler devices (with Joule heating).

Thermoelectric temperature control heats or cools materials by applying an electrical current across them. A typical Peltier cell absorbs heat on one side and produces heat on the other. Because of this, Peltier cells can be used for temperature control. However, the use of this effect for air conditioning on a large scale (for homes or commercial buildings) is rare due to its low efficiency and high cost relative to other options.

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