Instruction Manual

Instructions
Experiments
Sample Data

No. 012-08745A

Energy Transfer
Thermoelectric
ET-8782

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Model No. ET-8782

Table of Contents

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Experiment 1:

Conservation of Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Experiment 2:

Load Resistance and Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Model No. ET-8782

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Energy TransferThermoelectric
Model No. ET-8782

Included Equipment
1. Thermoelectric circuit board
2. Foam insulators (qty. 2)
3. Heat sink
4. Thumbscrew

Replacement Part Number

ET-8782
648-08724
624-013
617-018 and 615-031

5. Temperature cables (qty. 2)

PS-2515

6. Banana patch cords (qty. 8)

SE-7123

7. CD-ROM containing editable experiment instructions

and DataStudio files (not pictured)

Contact Tech Support

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Additional Equipment Required

Introduction

Model Number

DC Power Supply (10 V, 1 A minimum)

SE-9720A or equivalent

Temperature Sensor(s), compatible with 10 k thermistors

Various, see note below

Voltage and Current Sensor(s)

Various, see note below

PASCO Computer Interface

Various, see note below

DataStudio software

See PASCO catalog

Optional Equipment

Model Number

Fast Response Temperature Probes

Decade Resistance Box

PS-2135 (3-pack)
SE-7122 or equivalent

Note
The most convenient combination of interface and sensors for use with the Thermoelectric circuit
board is:

PS-2001 PowerLink interface

PS-2143 Quad Temperature Sensor
PS-2115 Voltage/Current Sensor
PS-2135 Fast Response Temperature Probes (3-pack), optional

This is the equipment called for by the experiments in this manual and on the CD-ROM. There are
other options for PASPORT and ScienceWorkshop sensors and interfaces, and stand-alone
multimeters. Please contact Tech Support, or see the PASCO catalog or website for details.

Introduction
The Energy TransferThermoelectric circuit board provides students with a hands-on example of
a thermoelectric heat engine. Using measurements from temperature, voltage and current sensors,
students will quantitatively study the energy, work and heat flow associated with heat engines,
heat pumps and refrigerators.
This manual includes instructions for five experiments with sample data and teachers notes. You
can photocopy the student instructions or print them from the editable copy of this manual
included on the CD-ROM. Experiment #5 is a DataStudio workbook, which contains the student
instructions within the DataStudio file.
In addition to the experiments detailed here, the Thermoelectric board is well-suited for selfguided exploration. The following sections will familiarize you with the components of the
experimental set-up.
4

Model No. ET-8782

Introduction

5
4

2
6

1. Peltier Device with Hot and Cold Reservoirs

The Peltier Device is constructed of two ceramic plates with p and n semiconductors in between.
As DC current passes through the device, it pumps heat from one side to the other. Aluminum
blocks are fastened to each side of the peltier in thermal contact with the ceramic plates. These
blocks add thermal mass to the system and act as the traditional Hot and Cold Reservoirs. When
there is a temperature difference across the peltier, it can be switched to Heat Engine Mode, in
which spontaneous heat flow through the device generates an electric current. Do not touch the
hot aluminum block when it is running in Heat Pump Mode. The temperature of this block can
reach 90 C or higher.
Do not allow the peltier device to reach temperatures above 100 C. Always monitor the
temperature of the hot side when the peltier is operating in Heat Pump Mode. Operation between
80 C and 100 C will shorten the life of the device; if you operate the device in that temperature
range, do so for the briefest possible time. You can operate the peltier device without damage at
temperatures below 80 C.

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Introduction

2. Input Power
Input Power for the board must be supplied from an external DC power supply capable of 1 amp
at 10 volts. Connect the power supply via the red and black banana jacks on the right-hand side of
the board. Note the polarity: red must be positive. Do not input more than 10 volts.
3. Load Resistors
In Heat Engine Mode, a jumper cable must be connected from the bottom banana jack terminal to
one of the terminals labeled A through D. The load resistance depends on how you connect the
jumper cables. If, for example, the jumper is connected to terminal A, then all of the resistors are
in series in the circuit, and the total load resistance is 20 + 7 + 3 = 30 . If the jumper is
connected to terminal C, the load resistance is 3 . A second jumper can also be used across a
resistor to remove it from the circuit. For example, if the main jumper from the bottom connector
is plugged into terminal A, and a second jumper is connected between B and D, the total load
resistance is 20 ; the 7 and 3 resistors are bypassed.
The possible combinations are 3 , 7 , 10 , 20 , 23 , 27 and 30 . If you use a decade
resistance box instead of the on-board resistors, you can supply any value you want. You can also
connect the jumper from the bottom terminal directly to terminal D, which reduces the load
resistance to a few tenths of an ohm (due to the internal resistance of the circuit).
4. Knife Switch
The single pole double throw Knife Switch on the right side of the board is used to select the
mode of operation. In Heat Pump Mode, external power is applied to the peltier device, and heat
is pumped from the aluminum block on the cold side to the block on the hot side. In Heat Engine
Mode, the external power is disconnected, and heat flows back through the peltier, generating
electric current through the load resistor.
5. Voltage and Current
Voltage and current sensors connected to the banana jacks at the top of the board will measure
voltage across and current through the peltier. Note the polarity when you connect the sensors. A
single PASPORT Voltage/Current sensor can be used for both measurements. If you plan to run
the peltier without a current sensor, you must connect a jumper between the current terminals to
complete the circuit.
From the measured voltage and current, DataStudio will calculate the power supplied to the
peltier (in Heat Pump mode) or power generated by the peltier (in Heat Engine mode). DataStudio
will plot a graph of power versus time, which it will use to calculate input or output energy.
6. Temperature Ports
Each aluminum block has a 10 k thermistor embedded in it. Use the provided Temperature
Cables to connect temperature sensors to the thermistors through the hot-side and cold-side
6

Model No. ET-8782

Introduction

Temperature Ports. The temperature sensor measures the resistance of the thermistor and
translates it into a temperature reading. If you are using a PASPORT Quad Temperature sensor,
you will connect both temperature ports (and up to two additional probes) to a single sensor.
From the measured temperature change, DataStudio will calculate the heat flow into or out of the
aluminum blocks.
7

7. Foam Insulators and Heat Sink

The Foam Insulators are used to insulate one side or both sides of the peltier. For conservation of
energy studies, use both insulators to minimize heat exchange with the environment. If needed,
you can put a rubber band around them to hold them tightly together.
The Heat Sink, which helps to dissipate heat, fastens to the hot-side aluminum block with the
provided thumb screw. For more efficient cooling, the fins of the heat sink should be vertical. Be
careful when removing the heat sink because it can get very hot.
In some experiments, you will have an insulator on the cold side, and the heat sink on the hot side.
8. Cooling Fan
The Cooling Fan and heat sink act together to dissipate heat from the hot reservoir. The fan is used
when demonstrating a refrigerator. You can also use it to cool the aluminum blocks back to room
temperature, which is a required initial condition in some experiments.
The fan is operated through a switch in the center of the board and it is powered by the same
external power supply that powers the peltier. The fan has a built-in regulator, so it will run at a
constant speed when the input voltage is 6 volts or higher. Do not use the fan when the input
voltage is below 4 volts.

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Introduction

9. Temperature Sensor Clamps

When modeling a refrigerator it is useful to observe the heat flow around the heat sink. Two
Temperature Sensor Clamps (one high, one low) are provided to position Fast Response
Temperature Probes (not included) in the air stream from the fan before and after the air has
passed through the heat sink.

Model No. ET-8782

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Experiment 1:

Conservation of Energy and the First Law of

Thermodynamics
Equipment Required

Part Number

Thermoelectric circuit board

part of ET-8782

Foam insulators (qty. 2)

part of ET-8782

Banana patch cords (qty. 5)

part of ET-8782

Temperature cables (qty. 2)

part of ET-8782

DC Power Supply (10 V, 1 A minimum)

SE-9720A or equivalent

PASPORT Voltage/Current Sensor

PS-2115

PASPORT Quad Temperature Sensor

PS-2143

PASPORT interface(s)
DataStudio software
Conservation of Energy configuration file for DataStudio

PS-2001 or equivalent
See PASCO catalog
part of ET-8782

Introduction
In this activity you will study the flow of energy in the experimental set-up as you run it through a
cycle.
First you will operate the apparatus in Heat Pump mode, in which energy is supplied to the peltier,
and the peltier pumps heat from one aluminum block to the other. After a temperature difference
has been established between the blocks, you will switch the peltier into Heat Engine mode, in
which heat flows from the hot block, through the peltier, and into the cold block. The peltier will
convert some of the heat that flows out of the hot block to electrical energy, which it will supply to
the load resistor.
During this cycle you will follow the energy as in moves in different forms from the power supply
to the peltier (electrical energy), in and out of the aluminum blocks (heat or thermal energy), and
into the load resistor (electrical energy). As you do the experiment, bear in mind the law of
conservation of energy and the first law of thermodynamics. How do they relate to the transfer of
energy within the system?

Set-Up
1. Input Power: Set the Heat Pump/Heat Engine switch to the neutral position (straight up).
Connect the power supply using banana patch cords to the input power terminals on the
circuit board as shown in picture below. Note the polarity.

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Conservation of Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics

2. Load Resistance: Connect a jumper from

the terminal at the bottom of the board to
Terminal B. This makes the load resistance
3 + 7 = 10 .

Voltage/Current
Sensor

3. Insulators: Place both foam insulators on

the aluminum blocks.
4. Temperature: Connect the cables from the
temperature ports to the Quad Temperature
Sensor. Connect the Cold Side to Channel 1
of the sensor and the Hot Side to Channel 2.
5. Voltage: Connect the voltage leads of the
Voltage/Current Sensor to the Voltage Ports
on the board. Note the polarity.

Ch 2
Temperature
Sensor

Power Supply

Ch 1

6. Current: Connect separate red and

black banana patch cords from the
current input of the Voltage/Current
sensor to the Current Ports on the
board. Note the polarity.
7. Computer: Connect the sensors to the
computer through the PASPORT
interface. Open the pre-configured
DataStudio file Conservation of
Energy. The display should look as
shown here.

Background
DataStudio has been configured to measure and record the temperature of both aluminum blocks,
the voltage and current applied to the peltier during Heat Pump mode, and the voltage and current
generated by the peltier during Heat Engine mode. From these measured quantities, DataStudio
will calculate and display heat flow, power and work. The following sections explain how
DataStudio makes those calculations.
Heat vs. Temperature
Each digits display shows the heat (Q hot or Q cold) that flows into or out of the aluminum block on
either the hot or cold side of the peltier. The relationship between heat flow and temperature
change is given by
Q = mcT
where:

10

Model No. ET-8782

Q
m
c
T

Experiment 1: Conservation of Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics

= heat transferred,
= mass of the aluminum block,
= specific heat of aluminum = 0.90 J/(gC),
= change in temperature.

A positive value of Q may represent heat transferred into or out of the aluminum block,
depending on whether the block is on the hot side or the cold side of the peltier, and whether the
peltier is operating as a heat pump or a heat engine.
The temperature of each block is measured by the embedded thermistor. DataStudio calculates the
heat flow from the measured temperature change, and pre-entered values of m and c. Click on the
calculator icon in the tool bar and look at the equations used; note the constants, m and c, in the
bottom section of the calculator window. (The mass of each block is about 19 g. If you would like
to enter your own value for the mass, measure the blocks with calipers and use the density of
aluminum, 2.7 g/cc, to calculate the mass, then enter it in the calculator.)
Input Power and Work Done by the Peltier Heat Pump
In Heat Pump mode, Input Power from the power supply equals the rate at which the peltier does
work to pump heat out of the cold reservoir and into the hot reservoir. The Voltage/Current Sensor
measures the voltage applied to the peltier, and the current that flows through it. DataStudio
calculates the Input Power using the equation: Power = Voltage Current.
The area under the plot of Input Power versus time equals the energy supplied to the peltier, which
equals the work done by the peltier.
Power Generated and Work Done by the Peltier Heat Engine
In Heat Engine mode, Power Generated is the rate at which the peltier does work on the load
resistor. The Voltage/Current sensor measures the voltage across the resistor and the current
through it. From these measurements, DataStudio calculates the power supplied to the load
resistor. The area under the plot of Power Generated versus time equals the work that the peltier
has done on the resistor.

Procedure
Before you start, the aluminum blocks should both be at room temperature. The knife switch
should be in neutral position (straight up) and the fan should be switched off.
Set the DC Voltage to between 3 and 4 volts.
Start data recording, then set the knife switch to Heat Pump.
You will see Input Power data appear in the top section of graph. The area under the graph equals
the energy supplied to the peltier, which equals the work done by the heat pump. The Heat Pump
digits display shows the heat pumped out of cold reservoir (Q cold) and the heat deposited into the
hot reservoir (Q hot).

11

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Conservation of Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics

Observe how the temperatures of the aluminum blocks change.

Run the peltier in Heat Pump mode for about a minute (or until the cold side appears to reach a
minimum temperature), then switch to Heat Engine mode.
Again, observe how the temperatures of the aluminum blocks change.
Power Generated data now appears in the bottom section of the graph display. The area under the
graph equals the energy generated by the heat engine and supplied to the load resistor. The Heat
Engine digits display shows the heat that has flowed out of the hot reservoir (Q hot) and the heat
that has flowed into the cold reservoir (Q cold).
Continue to record until the aluminum blocks are close to the same temperature.

Analysis

Hot Reservoir
Qhot

Heat Pump Mode

In Heat Pump mode the peltier does work to pump heat out of the cold reservoir
and into the hot reservoir.
W = work done by the peltier (equal to the area under the Input Power curve),
Q hot = heat pumped into the hot reservoir,
Q cold = heat pumped out of the cold reservoir.

Heat Pump

W
Qcold
Cold Reservoir

By the first law of thermodynamics,

Q hot = Q cold + W
1) Where did the heat pumped out of the cold reservoir go? Where did the heat pumped into the
hot reservoir come from? Why was more heat pumped into the hot reservoir than was pumped
out of the cold reservoir?
2) Compare your observed values of (Q cold + W) and Q hot. If they are not equal, where did the
lost energy go?
3) Write an equation in terms of the lost energy, E lost, and your observed data, W, Q hot and
Q cold.
Hot Reservoir

Heat Engine Mode

In a heat engine, heat flows out of the hot reservoir, some of the heat is
converted to work, and the rest of the heat flows into the cold reservoir.
W = work done by the heat engine,
Q hot = heat flow out of the hot reservoir,
Q cold = heat flow into the cold reservoir.
By the first law of thermodynamics,
12

Qhot
Heat Engine

W
Qcold

Cold Reservoir

Model No. ET-8782

Experiment 1: Conservation of Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics

W = Q hot Q cold
4) Compare your observed value of work, Wobserved (which is the area under the Power vs. Time
plot) to the quantity Q hot Q cold. Are they equal?
5) In a real heat engine, only part of the heat that flows out of the two-reservoir system
(Q hot Q cold) is converted to useful work. In this experiment, the work that you observed (the
useful work) was the work done on the load resistor. Can you account for all of the energy
that flowed out of the hot reservoir with your values of Wobserved, Q hot and Q cold? If not, where
did the lost energy go?
6) Calculate the proportion of net heat flow from the aluminum blocks that was converted to
useful work;
W observed
% of useful work = ---------------------------- 100 %
Q hot Q cold
7) Write an equation in terms of the lost energy, E lost, and your observed data, Wobserved, Q hot
and Q cold.
8) In this experiment the useful work was the work done on the load resistor. What was the
result of doing work on the resistor? How could you modify the circuit in order to make better
use of the work done by the heat engine?
Conservation of Energy
In the Heat Pump phase of the cycle the power supply put energy into the system. Then, in the
Heat Engine phase heat flowed out of the hot reservoir and part of it was converted into electrical
energy, which was supplied to the load resistor.
9) Calculate the percentage of energy put in during the Heat Pump phase that was recovered as
useful work during the Heat Engine phase;
energy generated
% recovered = ----------------------------------------- 100 %
energy put in
10) Is this a good way to store energy?
Conduction and Heat Flow Through the Insulators
One of the losses of energy in this experiment has to do with heat flow by conduction through the
polyethylene foam insulators. The rate of heat flow through the insulator is
T
Q i t = kA ------x
where:

13

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Conservation of Energy and the First Law of Thermodynamics

Q i /t = heat flow rate through the insulator,

k = thermal conductivity of the polyethylene foam = 0.036 W/(mC),
A = area through which the heat flows,
T = temperature difference across the insulator,
x = thickness of the insulating material.
You will estimate the amount of heat that flowed through the foam in contact with the front face
of the cold block.
Measure the height and width of the cavity in the insulator that surrounds the aluminum
block. Calculate the cross-sectional area, A in m2.
Measure the thickness, x, of the foam that covers the front face of the block. Do not include the
sides of the foam (you are only calculating the heat flow through the front face). Record your
measurement in meters.
From the temperature graph, determine the difference, T, between the temperature of the cold
block and room temperature. This value changed during the experiment, so record the maximum
difference, when the cold block was at its coldest. This will give you an estimate of the maximum
heat flow rate through the insulator.
11) Calculate the heat flow rate through the foam, Q i /t. This is the heat flow rate in joules/second.
To find the total amount of heat in joules, multiply this number by the total time in seconds
that the experiment ran; Q i = (heat flow rate) (time).
12) How does your estimate of Q i compare to the heat, Q cold, that was pumped out of the cold
block in the Heat Pump phase? Is it much larger, much smaller, or similar?
13) Is your estimate of heat flow through the insulator too high or too low? Remember that you
ignored the sides in your estimate, and that you used the maximum temperature difference for
T.
14) How would the flow of heat through the insulator on the hot side compare to heat flow
through the insulator on the cold side? Consider both the magnitude and direction of heat
flow.
15) Is heat flow through the insulators (on the hot and cold sides) a significant factor in this
experiment? Could the heat flow through the insulators account for the discrepancy between
your observed results and the first law of thermodynamics?
16) How would your results have differed if you had not used the insulators?

Further Investigation
What are some factors that you could vary in the experimental apparatus and procedure? Predict
how changing those factors would affect the results. Do an experiment to test one of your
predictions.

14

Model No. ET-8782

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Experiment 2:

Load Resistance and Efficiency

Equipment Required

Part Number

Thermoelectric circuit board

part of ET-8782

Foam insulators (qty. 2)

part of ET-8782

Heat sink and thumbscrew

part of ET-8782

Banana patch cords (qty. 6)

part of ET-8782

Temperature cables (qty. 2)

part of ET-8782

DC Power Supply (10 V, 1 A minimum)

SE-9720A or equivalent

PASPORT Voltage/Current Sensor

PS-2115

PASPORT Quad Temperature Sensor

PS-2143

PASPORT interface(s)
DataStudio software
Load Efficiency configuration file for DataStudio

PS-2001 or equivalent
See PASCO catalog
part of ET-8782

Introduction
In this experiment you will examine the relationship between output load resistance and the
power generated by the peltier when it is operating in heat engine mode.
You will observe the output power as you vary the load resistance while keeping everything else
constant (the temperature difference between the blocks, for instance). Since it is not possible to
hold the blocks at a steady temperature difference, you will take the peltier through several
identical cycles of heating and cooling, and measure the power each time a certain temperature
difference occurs. You will repeat the cycle for each value of load resistance that you test, ranging
from slightly over 0 to 30 .
Before you start, predict what you will discover about the relationship between output power and
load resistance. Record your prediction using words, numbers and a graph. Explain your
reasoning.

Set-Up
1. Input Power: Set the Heat Pump/Heat Engine switch to the neutral position (straight up).
Connect the power supply using banana patch cords to the input power terminals on the
circuit board as shown in picture. Note the polarity.

15

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Load Resistance and Efficiency

2. Temperature:
Connect the
cables from the
temperature ports
to the Quad
Temperature
Sensor. Connect
the Cold Side to
Channel 1 of the
sensor and the Hot
Side to Channel 2.
3. Voltage: Connect
the voltage leads
of the Voltage/
Current Sensor to
the Voltage Ports
on the board. Note
the polarity.

Voltage/Current
Sensor

Ch 2
Temperature
Sensor

Power
Supply

Ch 1

4. Current: Connect
separate red and black banana patch cords from the current input of the Voltage/Current
sensor to the Current Ports on the board. Note the polarity.
5. Computer: Connect the sensors to the computer through the PASPORT interface. Open the
pre-configured DataStudio file Load Efficiency. The display should look as shown below.

16

Model No. ET-8782

Experiment 2: Load Resistance and Efficiency

Background
This section explains some of the details of the DataStudio configuration file.
Calculations: DataStudio will measure the temperature of both blocks (T hot and Tcold), the voltage
across the load resistor, and the current through the load resistor. From these measurements it will
make two calculations, temperature difference (T) and output power (P), using the following
equations:
T = T hot Tcold
P = current voltage
Start and Stop Conditions: DataStudio has been configured with start and stop conditions, which
control when it records data. The start condition is that T must drop below 35 C. Before the
beginning of each cycle (when T < 35 C) you will click the Start button; DataStudio will display
live data, but it will not start recording. Data recording will not start until the T has increased
above 35 C and then dropped back below that level. The start condition will enable you to view
the temperature measurements without recording them. The stop condition will cause data
recording to stop when T drops below 5 C.
Changing the Name of a Data Run: DataStudio will record a separate data run for each load
resistance. In order to keep track of them, you will rename each data run. By default, the runs are
named Run #1, Run #2, etc. In order to rename a run, find it in the Summary window (on the left
side of the screen), click on it once to select it, then click on it again to edit it (be careful to singleclick twice, and not to double-click). Enter the new name (for instance, 7 ohms). When
DataStudio asks if you would like to rename all the data from this run, select Yes.

Procedure
1. Click the Start button. DataStudio will show live temperature readings in the Digits display,
but it wont start recording yet.
2. Observe the temperature of both sides of the peltier; both should be close to room
temperature. During the experiment, you will take the peltier through several cycles of
heating and cooling. You must ensure that both sides of the peltier are close to room
temperature before each cycle starts. Note the room temperature for future reference.
3. Set the voltage on power supply to about 6 volts. Set the switch to Heat Pump mode for about
2 seconds, then return it to the neutral position. If the voltage/current sensor beeps, then the
current is too high (over 1 amp) and you should decrease the voltage (then close the switch
again to test it).
4. Set the switch to the Heat Engine position and allow the blocks to cool. Wait until both sides
are within a few degrees of room temperature. (To cool faster, install the heat sink on the hot
block and turn on the cooling fan. It also helps to put a metal object in contact with both
blocks.)

17

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Load Resistance and Efficiency

5. Connect the output load jumper to terminal D. This bypasses all of the resistors and reduces
the load resistance to almost zero. Note that the resistance is not exactly zero because the
wires and traces on the board have some resistance.
6. Place both insulators on the blocks.
7. Set the switch to Heat Pump mode. Watch the difference in temperature between the two
blocks (T). You are waiting for T to reach 35 C, which will take about one minute.
8. When T reaches 35 C, change the switch to Heat Engine Mode. The temperature difference
will start to decrease. When T drops below 35 C, DataStudio will automatically start
recording. You will see data appear on the graph of Power Generated vs. T.
9. When T drops below 5 C, data recording will stop automatically.
10. Change the name of the data run to indicate the load resistance.
11. Click Start. DataStudio will display temperature data, but it wont start recording yet.
12. Remove the insulators and use the fan and heat sink to cool the blocks to within a few degrees
of room temperature.
13. Change the output load to 3 (connect the jumper to terminal C).
14. Replace the insulators and repeat the cycle of heating and cooling. (Go back to step 7.)
15. Repeat the cycle again for the following values of output load:

7 (Connect the jumper to B, but also connect a shorting jumper from C to D.)
10 (Connect the jumper to B.)
20 (Connect the jumper to A, but also connect a shorting jumper from B to D.)
30 (Connect the jumper to A.)

When you are finished, you will have acquired power and temperature data for six different
values of output load resistance.

Analysis
From the data that has been recorded you will extract the data needed to plot a graph of Power
Generated (P) versus Load Resistance (R L) at T = 30 C.
On the graph of P vs. T use the smart cursor to read the power generated at T = 30 C for each
value of load resistance. (Use the zoom select tool to change the scale of the graph and enlarge the
area around the data at 30 C in order to read the data precisely.)
Enter the values in the Power vs. Load table. As you enter data into the table, they will be plotted
on the Power vs. Load Resistance graph.
1) At what value of R L is the maximum power generated?
18

Model No. ET-8782

Experiment 2: Load Resistance and Efficiency

2) For output loads less than and greater than the optimal value, why does the peltier generate
less power?
All real electrical power supplies (including the peltier heat engine) have an internal resistance,
R i. They can be modeled as an ideal voltage source in series with a resistor, as shown below (with
an output load connected).

+
Peltier
Heat Engine

Ri

Vout

VNL

RL

The voltage of the ideal voltage source, V NL, is called the no-load voltage. For a peltier heat
engine V NL depends only on T.
3) Under what condition does the output voltage (Vout ) equal V NL?
4) How would you directly measure V NL at T = 30 C?
5) Write a theoretical equation for output power, P, in terms of V NL, R i and R L. Make a graph of
P vs. R L (choose some arbitrary values for V NL and R i ). Based on your equation and graphs,
under what condition is P at its maximum?
6) In this experiment, one of the data points was taken with R L = 0. According to your equation,
what is the theoretical power generated when R L = 0? Was this the case in your experiment?
There is another source of resistance that we havent considered yet, which is the resistance of the
traces, leads and sensors in the circuit. Lets call it RT. If we add in RT, the circuit can be modeled
thus:

+
Peltier
Heat Engine

Ri
VNL

RT

Vout

RL

7) Rewrite the theoretical equation for P taking RT into account.

8) Fit this equation to your experimental data. What is the no-load voltage at T = 30 C? What
is the internal resistance of the peltier? What is RT?

Further Investigation
1. Make a direct measurement of the no-load voltage at T = 30 C.
2. Make a direct measurement of RT (or measure as much of it as possible).

19

Energy TransferThermoelectric

Load Resistance and Efficiency

3. Predict how your results would differ if you repeated your analysis for a different value of
T? Test your prediction.
4. For your graph of Power vs. Load Resistance, what did you do to ensure that only R L and P
varied, and that all other experimental parameters stayed constant? Evaluate how successful
these measures were. Discuss how you could improve them.
5. In the analysis we assumed that Vout was constant for all values of T = 30 C. Do an
experiment to test that assumption.
6. For any given output load, quantitatively describe the relationship between P and T.

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