KM31401 Makmal IV (Applied Thermodynamics)

NAME: ______________________________
GROUP: _____________________________
DATE OF EXPERIMENT: _______________
THERMO 9: Thermo-Electric Heat Pump
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the Coefficient of Performance (COP) of a thermo-electric module assembly
when acting as a refrigerator.

DESCRIPTION OF EQUIPMENT

Figure 1: R534 Thermo-Electric Heat Pump

Figure 2: Panel diagram of Peltier operation switch position

The thermo-electric heat pump has been designed to enable students to investigate the
performance of a semi-conductor module which, on the application of an electrical power supply,
will produce a refrigerating effect. Applications for thermo-electric devices of this type occur in
fields where alternatives would be too bulky, heavy or impractical. When used in the
refrigeration mode typical applications include scientific and aerospace instrumentation for
cooling and reference temperatures, in the medical field for freezing tissue samples, and more
recently in the micro-electronics industry for cooling component packages and small lasers.
PROCEDURE
1. Ensure mains switch is off.
2. Ensure that the thermometer(s) are in position in the holes in the heat conductor blocks
in the thermo-electric assembly.
3. Turn the two rheostats fully anti-clockwise.
4. Refer to the PELTIER panel diagram in Figure 2 and set the four switches at the bottom
of the panel as shown. Set the heater (PELTIER) switch to ON. This will allow the heater
to be activated at the same time as the module is cooling.
5. Switch on the mains switch.
6. Increase the power input to the heater and module simultaneously in increments such
that the cold side temperature is maintained at ambient conditions. Hence, it may be
assumed that no heat is absorbed from the atmosphere and that all of the heat input
from the heater is absorbed by the module in its refrigerating mode.
7. When the temperatures are stable, record Heater Voltage (Vh), Heater Current (Ih),
Module Voltage (Vm), Module Current (Im), Hot Side Temperature (tH) and Cold Side
Temperature (tC). Repeat 6 for few set of data collection.
8. Determine the Module COP as refrigerator, COP = W h/W m. Compare the and discuss
based on the observation.

Plot a graph of module COP as refrigerator versus module input power W m. Comment on
the graph.
Based on your findings, indicate and explain why the value of module COP reduces to less
than one?