TWO-TEMPERATURE PREFERENCE TES
TECA's
model
AHP-1200DCP consists of two adjacent
thermoelectric heat/cool plates. In this example,
the customer has added an optional Plexiglas barrier
that allows the rat to easily move between the two
surfaces. One plate was set at 30ºC and the other
plate was alternately set also to 30ºC or to a
different temperature. Animals spent time on each
plate. The customer studies whether rats/mice exhibit
a significant, temperature-dependent avoidance of
plates after injection of analgesic drugs.
EQUIPMENT
TESTING AND MAINTENANCE
Three
AHP-1200CPV Cold Plates are running
continuously and in tandem at 17°C to monitor satellite
equipment. The customer has added air deflectors of his
own design. TECA offers standard air
deflectors as well. The customer applies approximately
50 watts of heat to the cold plate.
TEMPERATURE PREFERENCE TEST
PROBLEM: A single
bench top device that could provide two different
temperature zones to test animal temperature preference.
SOLUTION: Using
TECA Corporation
AHP-1200DCP
which offers two individually controlled temperature
zones and a Plexiglas barrier that allows the rat or
mouse to easily move between the two surfaces. One plate
was set at 30 ºC and the other at the same or a
different temperature. Animals spent on each plate and a
time is registered over a 20-min period. We study
whether rats/mice exhibit a significant,
temperature-dependent avoidance of plates for example at
25ºC or colder, and 40ºC and hotter before and after
injection some analgesic drugs".
ISOTOPE RATIO MASS SPECTROMETRY LABORATORY
PROBLEM: Stock
thermostated sample tray supplied with mass spectrometer
holds water samples at above ambient temperature. This
leads to evaporation and condensation within the sample
vials, and problems of gas transfer through sample
needle to mass spectrometer (liquid condensation blocks
gas flow through capillary tube).
SOLUTION: USF Geology
Stable Isotope Laboratory installed a second
auto-sampler with a TECA
AHP-1200CPV
cold plate to keep samples at below ambient temperature.
This prevents condensation within the vials, and
maintains the thermal stability required for isotope
ratio mass spectrometry of water samples analyzed by
equilibration method.
THEME PARK EXHIBIT
PROBLEM:
A company specializing in
3-D designs for museums, theme parks, and other
attractions needed to build an "icy throne" for a museum
exhibit and keep it dry at the same time.
SOLUTION:
Using four
TECA
AHP-1200CP cold plates, one was placed in the
seat, back, and in each arm rest of the throne. Raw
aluminum was then screwed onto the plates, and the
throne surfaces reached close to -20C!
Visitors to the museum can
sit on the throne to feel the chill. The "ice" in the
picture is not real. It is a "hard coat" of scenic ice.
The throne manufacturers did not want museum visitors to
get wet from real ice; their goal was to create a throne
that felt as cold as possible. They are thrilled with
the results!
To see the "icy throne" in
action please visit
http://www.azscience.org/narnia.php web page!
LABORATORY
PROBLEM:
Investigating the changes in
behavioral responses
due to changes in experimental floor temperature and
dermal application of
heating/cooling compounds in an animal model.
SOLUTION:
The TECA
AHP-1200DCP dual zone cold/hot thermoelectric
plate with two independently controllable temperature
zones provides precise regulation of the floor
temperature and change of settings as deemed
experimentally necessary. The Plexyglass arena allows
careful monitoring of animal activity while allowing the
animal to roam free across the experimental surface.
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY RESEARCH
PROBLEM:To cool down
and hold four one liter bottles filled with samples, to
0C.
SOLUTION: With its
AHP1200CPV Versatile Cold Plate, Teca offers accessory
Cold Well assembly with Insulation Kit as shown. The
AHP1200CPV is a standard item. The Cold Well assembly
is made to order. The user can specify the number of
wells and the diameter of each, as long as the hole
pattern fits within the footprint given.
COSMETIC TREATMENT
PROBLEM: Photofacial treatments using intense pulsed
light are said to remove spider veins and age spots, but
are uncomfortable for the patient.
SOLUTION: The apparatus shown uses a TECA
Model TLC700 recirculating liquid chiller to cool the
tip of the hand piece which rests on the skin area
under treatment. This enhances the comfort of the
patient; allowing for a better quality treatment. The
chiller is a closed loop system so no water gets on the
patient or the instruments. Water temperature is
closely adjustable over a wide range.
RESEARCH
PROBLEM: Keeping tissue samples
frozen for dissection has been done over an ice/dry ice
combination with variable results. The problem was to
find a way to get reliable consistent results.
SOLUTION: The Dept. of Psychiatry
in a major U.S. university is employing the Versatile
Cold Plate Model AHP1200CPV in a novel way.
They are using the product to keep
tissue samples frozen for dissection. The technician
has placed an accessory borosilicate (Pyrex) substrate
directly on the Cold Plate to provide a cut proof,
frozen work area.
The apparatus provides temperature
stability and control. This in turn assures uniform
tissue sample consistency for excellent quality
dissections.
MEDICAL LABORATORY
PROBLEM:
Department of histology in a major hospital needed a
peltier cold plate to freeze tissue samples for
examination.
SOLUTION:
The
Histology Division of the Department of Pathology places
 tissue
samples from biopsies into a small block and fills it
with wax. Several of these samples are then placed on
one of the
AHP-1200CP cold plates to "pull the heat" out of
the wax so it gets really hard. The near-frozen samples
are then shaved down to the desired section (slice)
using a Microtome (in picture). The thin sections are
then placed in the water bath to warm up the remaining
wax in order to remove it and then place the section on
a slide for examination.
BEVERAGE COOLER
PROBLEM: Keep
concentrated beverage container located next to a hot
water tank cool in a high volume OEM application.
SOLUTION: TECA has
always had the flexibility and resources to manufacture
custom OEM assemblies intended for use as part of a
customer machine, apparatus, or system.
This OEM assembly is made
by TECA in production runs in the
thousands.
It is not ours, so to
protect the privacy and identity of our customers we
can’t give too many details here.
This assembly is part of
a beverage service product which is shipped worldwide by
a well known consumer products company. TECA
furnishes the cooling "engine" which refrigerates the
beverage product to be dispensed, and the OEM builds
finished machinery in their own plants.
MEDICAL APPLICATION
PROBLEM: Compact
thermoelectric cooling system required to cool flow of
fluid through removable membrane liquid jacket for
mobile medical application.
SOLUTION: TECA
developed, designed and built the product you see in the
pictures above for the exclusive use of our customer.
Similar to the OEM beverage system cooler above; this
unit will be part of a larger system, and we expect to
produce thousands. The application is medical and will
be protected by patent. Thermoelectric cooling will be
employed for effective cooling of the brain for
emergency treatment of stroke victims.
STIRRING COLD PLATE
PROBLEM: A peltier stirring cold plate
was needed to cool liquid inside a
standard 1000 ml plastic tank and maintain the class 100 clean room
rating.
SOLUTION: A custom
designed thermoelectric stirring cold plate with
integral variable stir speed control, temperature
control, alarm and remote sense capability.
TECA is glad to
participate in custom and OEM product development. Over
the years we have come up with some pretty innovative
and novel products for our customers.
This product was developed from scratch for a customer
which was a start-up company in the field of
pharmaceutical development. This TECA cold plate
apparatus is designed and built for use in a clean room
facility. The controls are ergonomic. The user can
easily adjust controls for stir speed, timing and
temperature even while wearing clean room garb and
sterile gloves.
Unfortunately for the start up company, their funding
was pulled and they are not around any more. The
stirring cold plate was taken over as a proprietary
product by TECA.
MILITARY APPLICATION
PROBLEM: The United
State Navy needed a liquid chiller to circulate coolant
and also meet strict military requirements.
SOLUTION: Custom
thermoelectric liquid chiller using MIL rated
components.
Here’s another custom
military application by TECA. This is a liquid
chiller for circulating chilled coolant as part of a
tracking system on a NAVY ship. Note that the
chilled liquid circuit is effectively “sandwiched “
between two heat sinks with rugged Mil 901 fans.
Wiring and electrics are housed in a NEMA4X
enclosure with an O-ring gasket seal. This unit is rated
for shipboard use in salt-spray, shock and vibration.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
PROBLEM: Customer
needed a cold plate that could get to -40C.
SOLUTION: Liquid
cooled cascade peltier cold plate.
 TECA
does alot of business in the field of
telecommunications. This customer needs to test
components in the range of minus 40C. Single stage thermoelectrics cannot reach such a low temperature, so
TECA designed and built liquid cooled cascaded
cold-plates for the customer’s laboratory. We used
as many standard components as we could, so that while
the order was for only two systems, the cost could be
kept to a minimum. The customer got a turn-key package
including the cold-plate, fittings, cabling, DC power
supply and PID temperature controller.
MEDICINE
PROBLEM: Portable
cooler for carrying
emergency intravenous solutions, all components must be
enclosed within the case.
SOLUTION: Custom
thermoelectric (peltier) based cold plate built into a
Pelican™
Box.
TECA
is developing this product for a new customer. We have
taken a standard Pelican™
Box and configured a battery powered thermoelectric
cooling system which is installed totally inside.
This cooled
box is for the purpose of transporting up to 4 liters of
emergency intravenous solutions safely. There are fitted
compartments inside as well for transporting other
necessary items for patient care. Since nothing is
exposed or protruding from the box, our customer has
ended up with a good looking and very rugged, functional
thermoelectric product.
FOOD
PROCESSING
PROBLEM:
Heat sinks collect materials in food processing plant
... if they are not washed clean.
A long standing customer with food processing plants has
used dozens of TECA Model
AHP1200X air conditioners over the years. The
air-conditioners worked great, except for one
thing....... after years of service, the units would
come back to TECA with their heat sinks and fans
clogged with a hardened paste which seems to be made
from corn flower, water and dirt!
SOLUTION:
Change from air to liquid cooling of the customers
equipment.
Working
with this customer for a better solution; TECA
developed a liquid cooled version of
AHP1200X. This means that there is no heat sink
and no fan on the outside of the customer’s enclosure.
This customer uses available re-cycling plant water
coupled with TECA’s liquid heat exchanger to
remove the waste heat.
MANUFACTURING
PROBLEM:
Video cameras needed to function in an environment
beyond their rated temperature range.
One of our customers wanted to position cameras to observe
a process from a location not safe for operators to go.
The customer is a rubber manufacturer and the camera
location was too hot for the cameras to work in. The
customer had the cameras, but had no suitable enclosure,
or cooling apparatus.
SOLUTION:
TECA adapted a tiny air conditioner based on Model
AHP150XE
to mount to a standard commercial enclosure. The package
was completed by retrofitting the cameras with insulation and special cooling
units. The design satisfied our customer’s needs to a “T”.
ROOFTOP
EQUIPMENT ENCLOSURE
PROBLEM: Construct
a demonstration life test to illustrate the durability
of TECA Thermoelectric Cooling.
As of this writing, the system
has been operating trouble free for over 40,000 hours.
Back in March of 2001 TECA
Corporation engineering team set up a test to evaluate
functionality and life of it’s then new
XE series of solid state thermoelectric air
conditioners under real life out door environment
conditions.
Model AHP-1800XEHC
Heat/Cool air conditioner was chosen as a representative
model.
Photos of the
system under test, click on the images for larger view.
SOLUTION: Place a
working computer system within a protective enclosure on
an exposed rooftop – maintain temperature with a TECA
sold state air conditioner.
The unit is installed on a 2’ X 3’
X 3’ stainless steel enclosure with a Pentium Class
tower case computer and a 15” CRT monitor inside running
continuously. The enclosure is mounted 10” above the roof
of the TECA Corporation building and is exposed
entirely
to the elements. Several sensors inside and outside of the
enclosure sense the internal and ambient temperatures
and relay the readings to a Data Acquisition Board
installed in the computer. The data is accessible from
engineering office workstation via network connections.
The computer and monitor running continuously inside the
enclosure also act as a “heat load”.
The AHP-1800XEHC is set up
by means of the standard
TC-3F to keep the internal
temperature of the enclosure between 35C Maximum and 10C
minimum by functioning either as an air conditioner or
as a heater. When the temperature inside the enclosure
rises above 35C the
AHP-1800XEHC switches to cooling
mode and lowers the temperature. When the temperature
inside enclosure drops to 10C the
AHP-1800XEHC switches
to heat mode and raises the temperature.
Temperature charts,
click on the images for larger view.
PERFORMANCE
TESTING
PROBLEM: Need to test low-temperature performance of
inertial measuring devices.
In this application of low
temperature thermoelectric cooling; the user is testing
inertial measurement devices over
a
temperature range. The devices as well as the TECA
cascaded cooling assembly are subjected to various
rotational and acceleration stimuli while device
temperature is controlled.
SOLUTION:
The cascaded cooler was built up from a standard
Model
AHP301CP
cold plate.
The finished test fixture was able to function with
a maximum rotation rate of 1700 degrees per second and
50g acceleration. The rotation is evident in the photo.
By using a standard product as the basis for the cooling
system, higher costs associated with a custom solution
were avoided.
AEROSPACE
MANUFACTURING QC
PROBLEM:
Modify a standard model chiller to meet a highly
specialized requirement, including liquid cooling, 24
VDC input and wall mounting.
SOLUTION: This
recirculating liquid chiller was developed for a
customer who needed something similar to the TECA
LHP-300CP
chiller; but it had to be a liquid
cooled liquid chiller - it had to be 24 VDC input - and
it had to be mounted on the wall! The application is
X-Ray inspection of aircraft engine parts. Temperature
controlled water is circulated through a heat exchanger
which is keeping photo diodes nice and cool, assuring
quality X-Ray imaging.
PAPER MILL
PROBLEM:
The environment of a paper mill is hostile to most
equipment. Could a thermoelectric cooler stand up to
such conditions?
SOLUTION:
TECA’s Model
AHP-1200X Solid State Air Conditioner
This TECA model
AHP-1200X
was returned to TECA for evaluation, after over 120,000
hours of duty. It just did not seem to cool as
much any more. As a matter of fact,
it was originally put to work in 1992 cooling an
electronic enclosure in a paper mill. The customer was
sure it needed to be replaced, but sent it back to us to
see if anything could be salvaged. In our inspection we
found that the hot side heat sink was fouled with 14
years of newsprint sludge. Once the goop was cleaned out
and the fan was free to spin; the unit ran like a charm!
COMMUNICATIONS
PROBLEM:
Maintain the temperature of a battery bank in
a Class 1 Division 2 explosion proof environment to
power portable communications equipment.
A
special purpose vehicle manufacturer needed to maintain
the temperature of a bank of batteries to maintain
maximum performance.
SOLUTION:
With our
recommendation, the customer selected the TECA
Model
AHP1800XP, because it is the only
NEMA4X air conditioner available off-the-shelf, which
is also certified for C1D2 use. The power source
was able to meet the requirement of operation in a Class
1 Division 2 explosion proof environment, to support
portable communications systems at car racing venues.
BOTTLING QC
PROBLEM:
Cool control panels
of Quality Control equipment, with limited space
available.
 A
manufacturer of quality control equipment used in
automated bottling operations needs to provide cooling
for the control panels of high speed quality-control
machines for his customer's production lines.
SOLUTION: TECA
FHP750
air conditioner.
This air conditioner is
externally mounted so it does not intrude into the
customer's useable enclosure space. A flush mounted air
conditioner was important in this case because of
limited space inside the panels.
TRANSPORTATION
PROBLEM:
Standardize on one air conditioner for application on
enclosures with many different heat-load conditions.
An air conditioner was needed
as a special purpose cooler for electrical enclosures on
a World Class rapid transit system. The customer has
hundreds of air conditioned enclosures in their system,
with different heat load conditions, but for reasons of
economy, they wanted to standardize on one air
conditioner model.
SOLUTION:
TECA developed a new model,
the
AHP-1501 for this customer.
For
adding cooling capacity, the Model
AHP1501 can be mounted line to line
in compact groups of up to (6) units. It operates from
120 volts and 240 volts, has a built in temperature
control and has now been made an off the shelf offering
for all of our customers.
FOOD
PROCESSING
PROBLEM:
A European manufacturer of special equipment for
processing fruits and vegetables needed to cool
sensitive electronics on their line of
produce-processing machines, which sort products by
color, size and weight.
SOLUTION:
TECA Model
AHP1200XE solid state air
conditioners.
The equipment in use is washed
down frequently, so the Model
AHP1200XE is ideal because it is
designed to meet NEMA4 and suitable for wash-down
environments, while it also
carries the CE Mark.
TRANSPORTATION
PROBLEM: A specialist manufacturer of transport cases needed to
protect electronic equipment from harsh, high stress
conditions in transport, needed a suitable way to add
cooling.
SOLUTION:
TECA Model
AHP1201XE
solid state air conditioners.
The
AHP1201XE is designed and certified
for use in NEMA4 environments including wash-down
and outdoor installation. Our customer also opted for
dual voltage capability (120/240 VAC) with a voltage
selection switch.
MOTOR SPORT
PROBLEM: A
rally car racing team had a need to chill drinking water
inside their moving vehicles, while they raced through
very hot desert conditions.
SOLUTION: A
solid state cold plate based on TECA model
AHP-300CP.
The
AHP-300CP,
which draws power directly from the car battery, was the
solution to maintain the temperature of the water at an
acceptable level. With a ready supply of chilled water,
the racing team could drive at peak performance.
AVIONICS
PROBLEM:
A branch of the US military had an overheating problem
with a high-tech radio inside the wing of a fighter
aircraft.
SOLUTION:
TECA custom, high-performance cold plate.
TECA developed the solution by making custom cold
plates that withstand the shock, vibration, and G forces
created by one of the most technically advanced
aircraft. In order to assure maximum strength with
minimum weight, TECA's Advanced Machining Center
machines the finned heat sinks for each cooler from a
single blocks of material.
MATERIAL HANDLING
EQUIPMENT:
PROBLEM:
A motor and drive manufacturer was experiencing
over heating problems with an overhead hoist and crane.
Heat buildup in overhead hoist, but space within the
enclosure was at a premium.
SOLUTION:
A model FHP-2850 flush mount solid state air conditioner offered a
non-invasive solution to maintain the enclosure
temperature, allowing the variable frequency drives to
function normally under all operating conditions.
VIDEO
PROJECTION
PROBLEM: A ruggedized enclosure for a military video projector
caused excessive heat to build up from the high wattage
bulb.
 SOLUTION: A
more rugged version of TECA's
AHP-1200FF thermoelectric
cooler / solid state air conditioner is used by military
to cool a projector.
For detail information such as inlet and outlet air
temperatures etc.... open the PDF file.
For
detail information such as inlet and outlet air
temperatures etc.... click on the image and open the PDF
file.
COMMUNICATIONS
PROBLEM:
A major manufacturer of communications equipment was to
go into production of special equipment enclosures, then
encountered unforeseen problems with overheating
electronics deep inside. 
The customer wanted air conditioning, but
specified that no part of the air conditioner could
protrude outside of their enclosure.
SOLUTION: TECA
designed a little air conditioner inside ducts for hot
air exhaust. This way the air conditioner is actually
housed entirely inside the enclosure and our customer
continues production.
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
PROBLEM:
A
consumer electronics manufacturer needed a
thermoelectric cold plate with variable height to help
stabilize a process in an assembly line.
SOLUTION:
Modified version of TECA Model
AHP1200CP
solid state cold plate
 
The AHP1200CP had the correct cooling
capacity but was not the same height as the assembly
process. We added continuously-adjustable feet for a
low cost solution that used standard parts. This is now
an available option on standard units.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
PROBLEM:
A municipal waste plant had an emergency requirement for
a water drop device (to condense moisture for analysis)
to be installed in a smokestack.
SOLUTION:
In this time critical application TECA responded
with a custom designed variation of the
AHP-150CP
cold plate, to be mounted high up in the stack. Working
with the customer TECA
was able to design and deliver the product in less than
two weeks, more than meeting the customer’s timetable.
OUTDOOR
KIOSK APPLIANCE STATIONS
PROBLEM:
An original equipment manufacturer designed a new
outdoor information
kiosk and required a small cooling solution, before they
could start up manufacturing.
 
SOLUTION:
TECA Model
AHP300XE
Solid State Air Conditioner.
We
consulted with the customer's engineers and recommended
TECA Model
AHP300XE, to provide the necessary cooling in
a compact size. The
AHP300XE is an ideal choice for the
application because it is a NEMA4 solid state air
conditioner, designed for outdoor use.
FACTORY AUTOMATION
PROBLEM:
An automation manufacturer required exact
temperature control in a system for pharmaceutical
research and development.
SOLUTION:
TECA Model
FHP-2850
solid
state air conditioners provide temperature control for a
highly complex plate storage/imaging system.
Up to 754
plates are stored in the system, with random access for
scheduled internal plate imaging. The remainder of the
system generates the plates used in various experiments
and dispenses small-volumes of chemicals, then seals and
returns the plates in storage.
Excess heat could cause a system failure.
ELECTRONIC
IMAGING
PROBLEM: A leading manufacturer of video cameras and mobile electronics
communications for law
enforcement needed a dependable source thermoelectric
coolers.
The
company had been “thrown for a loop” when their previous
thermoelectric vendor admitted that they couldn't meet
the delivery promised on a standard cooling assembly.
SOLUTION:
An engineer for the vendor responded that TECA
was the best choice if they wanted quality and delivery.
One
week and several phone calls later, 16 customized
assemblies based on TECA's model
AHP-150FF
were
delivered in time for testing and installation.
QUALITY TESTING
PROBLEM: An
Electronics manufacturer needed to test their equipment
at various temperatures and no standard chamber met the
requirements.
They needed to manually ramp and soak
their products from -10 C to 65C.
SOLUTION:
By adding a custom cover to a TECA Model
AHP-1200CPHC
solid state cold plate the customer created what amounts
to a mini environmental chamber, able to have fine
temperature control and to evaluate performance in hot
or cold environments.
MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS
PROBLEM:
A branch of the US military had a
need for cooling a small enclosure containing a critical
voice communication system.
The shipboard system had to be resistant
to salt water corrosion as well as pass stringent shock
and vibration testing.
SOLUTION:
A modification to TECAs
AHP-300X
solid air
conditioner allowed the unit to meet specializing and
air flow requirements and pass these tests. The
challenge was to overcome the small available space
both inside and outside the enclosure. The heat sinks
were turned so that the heat rejection air flow and
internal cold side air flow moved in different
directions.
This unit is a prime example of how
flexible Team TECA is when customer needs require
customization of standard products.
NUCLEAR
ENERGY
PROBLEM:
Need to cool equipment used for quality control
inspection of pipes in nuclear energy plants.
Evaluating the condition of pipes in nuclear power plants
can be time consuming and costly. Automated and remote
guided methods are available. Much of the electronics
for the job must be rugged and durable, capable of
handling many environmental conditions.
SOLUTION:
TECA designed, tested and built a system around
standard portable cases. The unit shown is the prototype
of the production unit, built into the top of a
transportation case.
Doing
the design and prototype work of this nature often leads
to happy customers and production jobs for TECA, as it did in this
case!
AVIONICS
MAINTENANCE
PROBLEM:
Create a portable cooling system for diagnostic
equipment to allow troubleshooting of avionics systems
while still installed.
Troubleshooting and diagnosing avionics problems is hard
enough on the bench. To save valuable time, technicians
would rather get it done while the electronics are still
in the aircraft. Also, under harsh environments, it is
difficult to keep cutting edge electronics functioning
the way they should.
 SOLUTION:
When it came to the type of portable cooling for the
diagnostic equipment required for these jobs; a navy
contractor came to TECA for the solution. We
helped design and build the solution shown in its
prototype form around the portable enclosure. TECA
completed the project on a tight schedule, which called
for teamwork and attention to detail.
LABORATORY
PROBLEM:
Chill liquids being circulated by a peristaltic pump
under ultra-clean conditions.
When
handling and processing various fluids in laboratory and
electronic environments cleanliness is a must.
Peristaltic pumps have been developed for the purpose of
creating a fluid flow without contacting the fluid
itself.
SOLUTION:
TECA developed a liquid chiller to cool a fluids,
while satisfying the same cleanliness requirements. The
solution, based on our successful cold plate product
line, has proven to be
versatile and effective. Pictured here is the first
prototype of a multiple-pass tube cooler for use with a
peristaltic pump.
Applications range from laboratory to medical to
industrial.
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