Understanding Thermoelectric Cooling Analysis in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation

What is Thermoelectric Cooling?

Thermoelectric cooling is a method of heat transfer that relies on electricity to move heat — without any moving parts, fans, or refrigerants.
It’s based on solid-state technology, which means it uses solid materials (usually semiconductors) to control the flow of heat and electricity. One of the most common devices used for this purpose is the Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC).
These coolers are compact, reliable, and precise, making them ideal for cooling small electronic components, sensors, or even mini fridges and medical devices.

The Principle of Thermoelectric Cooling (How Does It Work?)
At the heart of thermoelectric cooling is a phenomenon called the Peltier Effect. When direct current (DC) flows through a thermoelectric module, it causes heat to be absorbed on one side (the cold side) and released on the opposite side (the hot side). This allows the TEC to pull heat away from a device and move it elsewhere — just by using electricity.

Flow Simulation representation of the Thermoelectric Cooler model:
1) object being cooled, 2) TEC, 3) heat sink, 4) cold side, 5) hot side.

A TEC is typically a thin sandwich of two ceramic plates with a series of p-type and n-type semiconductor junctions in between. As the electric current flows through the junctions, heat is actively pumped from one side to the other.
But it’s not all one-way traffic. There are two other effects to consider:

• Joule (Ohmic) Heating: As current flows, some heat is generated due to the resistance in the semiconductors.
• Thermal Conduction: Some heat naturally flows back from the hot side to the cold side, which slightly offsets the cooling effect.

Despite these, TECs are highly effective for targeted cooling, especially when precision and reliability matter.

Use of Thermoelectric Coolers in Component Cooling

Thermoelectric coolers are especially useful when cooling individual electronic components. Whether you’re dealing with a high-power laser diode, a sensitive image sensor, or a processor that generates a lot of heat in a small area, TECs offer a simple and compact solution.

Because they don’t rely on fans or liquid coolant, they’re ideal for applications where:

• Noise must be minimized
• Space is limited
• Reliability and maintenance-free operation are critical
• Precise temperature control is needed

You’ll often find TECs in telecom equipment, aerospace systems, lab instrumentation, and even custom PC builds by hardcore modders.

Thermoelectric Cooling in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation

If you’re designing a system that includes a TEC, SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation can help you analyze how it performs in the real world — without ever touching a prototype.

SOLIDWORKS includes a dedicated feature for thermoelectric modules, allowing you to simulate:

• Heat pumping from cold to hot side based on current input
• Joule heating within the module
• Thermal conduction losses
• The resulting temperature distribution in your system

You can define the TEC’s electrical and thermal properties, apply electrical current, and even model the interaction with other cooling components like heatsinks and fans.

This makes SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation a powerful tool not just for mechanical design, but also for optimizing thermal management in electronics and precision systems.

Natural convection

Effect of Thermoelectric cooler (Single Stage TEC)

As demonstrated in the animation, SolidWorks Flow Simulation’s Electronic Cooling module uniquely offers the ability to model thermoelectric coolers, which can significantly control heat transfer for the thermal management of electronic components. This controlled heat transfer to a heat sink improves the performance and lifespan of components such as chips and processors.

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