Thermoelectric coolers provide temperature stability for outdoor security cameras

09-11-2020 | Laird | Test & Measurement

Imaging sensors and other sensitive camera components such as FPGA's need active cooling to maintain operating temperatures under their maximum limit, providing high-quality image resolution. Due to solar radiation and increased heat flux density from surrounding electronics, outdoor security cameras may reach temperatures up to 90C. This can generate performance degradation, loss of image resolution or even system failure. Laird Thermal Systems new HiTemp ETX Series can endure in temperatures up to 150C, making them excellent for spot cooling in outdoor security camera applications.

Thermoelectric coolers are solid-state devices that utilise the Peltier effect to actively pump heat away from electronic devices needing cooling. Due to standard thermoelectric coolers not being designed for high-temperature environments, the company has developed a new generation of thermoelectric coolers to enhance reliability and cooling performance. The new series provides a robust construction and is constructed with advanced thermoelectric materials that boosts cooling capacity by up to 10%. It also provides a higher insulating barrier compared to standard thermoelectric coolers, producing a temperature differential of up to 83C.

"The HiTemp ETX Series is our latest thermoelectric product offering that is specifically designed for emerging spot cooling applications in high-temperature environments," said Andrew Dereka, product director at Laird Thermal Systems. "This product series uses the latest thermoelectric materials and robust construction to assure long life operation in many critical applications such as imaging in outdoor environments."

By Natasha Shek