Natural convection is the best way to achieve optimum heat distribution. It is therefore recommended to install the heater in the bottom third of the housing. This way, air flows through the heating fins and therefore heats up faster.

With cooling devices, on the other hand, installation in the upper section is recommended so that cold air can escape.

The goal is not to affect the natural convection of the heater negatively by packing the installed devices extremely densely. Installing heaters with fans or blowers or using circulation fans can lead to forced convection. This gives the heating system a higher degree of efficiency and therefore achieves better heat distribution. This results in the whole concept becoming more efficient. Particular attention needs to be paid to the release of the heat output to the air as a matter of principle.

Cooling devices are generally equipped with fans.

Due to the lower surface temperature, Lm-therm heaters with built-in thermostats are a safe alternative to PTC heaters. PTC heaters do not have a temperature-triggered shut-off function and their surface temperature is therefore generally high. That’s why it’s important to ensure that a touch guard is in place and that there is enough distance from sensitive components and cables.

To achieve better heat distribution it is recommended to install several heating devices, circulation fans or blower fan heating systems with separate temperature controls.

• Tropical setting: <35 °C: switch on/70 °C: switch off
• High tropical setting: <50 °C: switch on/80 °C: switch off
• Frost protection: <10 °C: switch on/60 °C: switch off

However, if heaters with built-in thermostats and high outputs are used in tropical or cold regions, attention needs to be paid to the heater’s intrinsic temperature!

Please take note of the information for the specific device in this regard. Generally, however, the natural convection mentioned in point 1 of the FAQ applies.

Heaters with built-in thermostats do not require separate controllers. However, factors like the size of the control cabinet, the number of built-in devices, and other external influences may make it necessary to install a separate controller. For PTC heaters it is generally recommended to insert a controller.

Heaters with a built-in thermostat are linear (ohmic). They can therefore be fused equal to the load current (I=P/U). PTC heaters, on the other hand, are to be protected by a slow-blow fuse with five times the load current (I=P/Ux5) because of the high inrush current (PTC effect).

Heating devices can be snapped onto a 35 mm DIN rail or screwed in directly (take note of the device specifications). The electrical connection can be implemented via a connection line or a connection terminal on the device.

One of the most important applications for Peltier technology is the active cooling or temperature control of switch cabinets with smaller power losses and switch cabinets in difficult ambient conditions. But also the cooling of liquids, the direct cooling of e.g. lasers or hotspot cooling are application areas.

Small to medium power to be dissipated, high ambient temperatures, dirt-laden ambient air, mechanical influences such as vibration or shock, precise stabilization of temperatures, tight space conditions.

Peltier technology can be used most effectively in a power range from a few watts up to about 800 watts.

The effectiveness of Peltier devices for air-to-air cooling is about COP 0.8..1.1. For direct cooling somewhat higher.

Depending on the environmental conditions, Peltier units should be serviced between monthly and semi-annually. In most cases, maintenance consists of cleaning the external heat exchanger.

Peltier devices are primarily cooling devices. However, all devices with DC supply voltage, except devices with multistage modules (e.g. laboratory devices with deep-freeze function), can also be operated in heating mode. Devices with AC supply voltage, i.e. with integrated power supply unit, can also be operated in heating mode, depending on the model. You will need a special control output for this.

Yes. For this you need a liquid heat exchanger on at least one side. But also temperature control or cooling liquid to liquid is possible. For this, liquid heat exchangers are required on both sides of the Peltier device.

Yes. For this purpose, the Peltier device is equipped with a cooling plate on one side, the shape and mounting holes of which are precisely adapted to the surface to be cooled. In most cases, the cooling plate is also equipped with a flexible, heat-conducting foil to ensure optimum thermal contact.

Yes. The company Lm-therm offers a standard switching barrier humidifier. But also larger rooms can be dehumidified by means of specially adapted Peltier devices.

All Peltier devices from Lm-therm are available as semi-recessed devices (cold side dips into the control cabinet) or devices for wall mounting (equipped with a stainless steel mounting frame). In addition, all units are also available in a salt fog proof version.

All Lm-therm Peltier units with AC supply voltage are equipped with a wide voltage input, which allows operation in a voltage range from 90 V-AC to 305 V-AC. The devices with DC supply voltage are operated with 24 V-DC as standard. However, 12 V-DC or 48 V-DC are also available, depending on the device size. Furthermore, special voltages can also be realized.

For devices with standard modules, temperature differences of approx. 35-40 K can be achieved. For devices with multistage modules (e.g. laboratory applications) also approx. 70 K and more.

In standard applications, accuracies of approx. 0.1 K can be realized. With high-precision sensors and controllers, temperature accuracies of approx. 0.01 K can also be achieved.

Yes, but the cooling power is not linear to the supply voltage or the pickup current.

Yes, but no “hard” polarity reversals of the supply voltage with a frequency of more than 1 Hz should be performed over a longer period of time.