How can a thermoelectric device be used as a refrigerator instead of a generator?

A thermoelectric device can function as a refrigerator by utilizing the Peltier effect, which is the reversible counterpart to the Seebeck effect used in power generation.12

While a generator uses a temperature difference to produce electricity, a thermoelectric refrigerator uses an external direct current power supply to create a temperature difference. By replacing the load resistor of a thermoelectric device with a DC power source, the device acts as a heat pump, drawing thermal energy away from a specific area to lower its temperature.12

Practical refrigeration is achieved by connecting sets of semiconductor thermocouples (such as those made of n-type and p-type bismuth telluride) electrically in series and thermally in parallel. When current flows, one junction becomes cold while the other becomes hot. If the heat from the hot junction is effectively removed, the cold junction can reach temperatures tens of degrees lower than the surroundings. These devices are valued for being compact, having no moving parts, and providing precise temperature control.13