New Catalogue From Kryotherm Details Thermoelectric Cooling

and Energy Conversion Components

August 2007

More than 250 types of thermoelectric cooling devices which use the Peltier effect to achieve cooling capacities from 0.4W to 310W in components sizes ranging from 3.4 x 3.4mm to 62mm square are detailed in the latest catalogue from Kryotherm.

Freely available from Steadlands, the sole UK distributor for Kryotherm products, the catalogue contains almost 50 pages of components designed for industrial applications, telecoms, domestic appliances, medical equipment and many other specialist areas.

Used because of their high reliability, low noise and high cooling/small size ratios, the Kryotherm range is particularly suited to modern laser, optical and radio electronic systems which cannot be assembled without using thermoelectric cooling and thermostatically controlled systems.

NEW ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY CAMERA USES KRYOTHERM TEC's

April 2007

Despite the speed at which light travels, taking photographs of stars and nebulae in deep space is a lengthy process which requires a very low dark current which enables exposures of many hours to be performed. To achieve this requirement, the new Artemis ART11002 CCD (charge coupled device) camera uses a Kryotherm thermoelectric cooling device from Steadlands International.

The CCD is sealed in a cold chamber which is Peltier cooled to 25°C below ambient in order to create a very low dark current of 0.03 electrons/sec. The 11 million pixel camera has a slightly larger than 35mm format and each pixel measures 9.0um. The ART11002 uses a standard Artemis operating system on a PIC microcontroller running at 32Mhz which looks after most of the house keeping functions of the camera including temperature control of the sensor. 

An analogue to digital converter can convert 2 million samples per second at 16 bit resolution and a reprogrammable logic device handles the high speed signal generation as well as data processing.

Chosen for their cost, reliability and the ease with which they can drive high voltage, lower current devices the Kryotherm parts offers number of advantages over traditional refrigeration methods, such as no moving parts and do not require the use of liquids, gases or refrigerants, compact size, precise temperature control and their ability to operate quietly in any orientation.

The Peltier effect occurs whenever current passes through the circuit of 2 dissimilar semiconductors. Depending on the current direction, the junction of the 2 conductors will either absorb or release heat, in direct proportion to the current supplied.