Thermoelectric cooler is like a heat pump when it's working, transferring heat from one point to another. This is not a common heat absorption process or a magic heat consumption process. When it's powered on, one end of the TEC module will become cold while the other end hot. The cooled down end transfers the heat to the hot end, which conforms to the thermodynamics law. In order to complete a heat transfer process, the thermoelectric cooler needs to be connected to a proper heat sink, which is used to release the heat from the cold end and produced during the operation of the components.
A heat sink is an indispensible part of the thermoelectric cooling system. Since all the performances of thermoelectric cooler are closely related to the temperature of the heat sink. An ideal heat sink can absorb unlimited heat with the capability to increase the temperature of itself. However, in actual application, it's impossible. Therefore, designers should find a heat sink, whose temperature rise is in an acceptable range after it absorbs heat from TEC module. Although this temperature rise is related to different application environment, it's good to reduce it since the refrigerating capacity of TEC module is decreased with the increase of the temperature difference.
To be continued....
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