thermoelectric refrigerator

device

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

A thermoelectric refrigerator utilizes the Peltier effect to achieve cooling. This effect is a thermoelectric phenomenon where an electric current passing through the junction of two different materials can cause a temperature difference, leading to either heating or cooling.

In a thermoelectric refrigerator, semiconductor materials are used to create junctions. When an electric current flows through these junctions, one side absorbs heat, becoming cold, while the other side releases heat, becoming hot. By arranging multiple such junctions and managing the heat flow, a device can be created that cools a specific space. These refrigerators are known for being compact and having no moving mechanical parts, making them suitable for applications requiring precise temperature control.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

electricity
Thermoelectricity
…colder and act as a refrigerator. Peltier refrigerators are used to cool small bodies; they are compact, have no moving mechanical parts, and can be regulated to maintain precise and stable temperatures. They are employed in numerous applications, as, for example, to keep the temperature of a sample constant while…
Read More
…colder and act as a refrigerator. Peltier refrigerators are used to cool small bodies; they are compact, have no moving mechanical parts, and can be regulated to maintain precise and stable temperatures. They are employed in numerous applications, as, for example, to keep the temperature of a sample constant while…
Read More