Group Lab Project Outline

The French physicist, Jean Peltier, who lived from the years of 1785- 1845, created the Peltier device. He mastered the innovative technique of the calorific effect of electric current through friction between two different metals. This is now deemed the Peltier Effect. There needs to be two different junctions available for the heating or cooling process to occur. For the times, Jean Peltier was very successful. Although the device was more expensive than alternative energy production it was much better for the environment. Jean Peltier: An Environmental Man!

“The Peltier technology works in a particularly economical and energy-saving manner at temperatures close to ambient temperature, since energy is only required if heating or cooling is needed, in contrast to compressor technology. Very fine adjustments can be made here to the heating or cooling functions.”

“In heating operation, in the same way as in a heat pump, thermal energy is removed from the ambient air and introduced into the inner chamber. Because of the closed Peltier cooling system, no outside air is exchanged. The advantages: No de-humidification of the inner chamber and a notably reduced risk of contamination.”

In today’s world the Peltier device and thermoelectrical technology is used in many components. This technology can be found in camping equipment, portable coolers, and small instruments. Surprisingly, electronic equipment intended for military use on the field or in battle is thermoelectrically cooled. The cooling effect of the Peltier heat pumps can also extract water from the air in dehumidifiers. Photon detectors within some astronomical telescopes or expensive digital cameras are usually cooled down with Peltier devices. Generally the Peltier device is used in the chilling of beverages. Excitingly, some products can also reverse the current to heat the beverage as well. There are many A/C car adapter coolers and even USB beverage coolers which use the Peltier device.

Here is an outline of our lab, what we hope to achieve, and how we hope to do it.

Purpose:

Can we generate electricity by exploiting temperature differentials in water?

Introduction:

By using a basic Peltier Device, we should be able to generate an electrical current using only water and a minimal amount of other materials. We expect to find that by creating a larger temperature differential we will be able to produce more energy. As the temperatures differential naturally closes, we expect the voltage to decrease. We also expect to generate enough energy to turn on a light or a small string of lights.

Materials:

Two plastic cups. Water. Wires. Lego Mindstorm Software. Lego Mindstorm voltage recorder. Lights. Metal panels.

Procedure:

First we will gather and set up the materials. The two cups will sit next to each other. One cup will be filled with hot water, one with cold. We will place the adjoining metal plates over the two cups so that one panel is sitting in each of the cups. The heat and cold from the water will cause the entire panel to get hot or cold. The Voltage Recorder will then sit in between the two panels. The heat differential will create a current in the voltage recorder. This is then connected to the MindStorm software via a USB cord. The wires will then continue form the recorder to the light(s). We will measure the temperature of the water and the voltage simultaneously. Then we will wait for a yet-to-be-decided increment of time and record again. We will be graphing electricity generated versus temperature differential, temperature of hot water cup, and temperature of cold water cup.