PASCO ET-8782 Energy Transfer– Thermoelectric - Manual (Page 7)

Model No. ET-8782 Introduction
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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. 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.
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