What is a Thermopile ?

Encyclopedia
08/02/2024


What is a  Thermopile ?


Thermopile Definition


A thermopile is a device that converts heat into electricity using the thermoelectric effect, leveraging temperature differences across different metals.


 

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Functioning Principle


Thermopiles generate voltage through the direct conversion of temperature differences into electric voltage, a principle discovered by Thomas Seebeck.


 

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Voltage Production


The voltage output of a thermopile is proportional to the temperature difference and the number of thermocouple pairs, modulated by the Seebeck coefficient.


 

Types of Thermopile Sensors


  • Single-element thermopile sensor

  • Multi-element thermopile sensor

  • Array thermopile sensor

  • Pyroelectric thermopile sensor

 


 

 

Applications


  • Medical devices

  • Industrial processes

  • Environmental monitoring

  • Consumer electronics

 

 

 

Testing Method


To ensure proper functionality, thermopiles are tested using a digital multimeter set to DC millivolts to measure voltage output, which indicates operational integrity.


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