Ferrotec has expanded its thermoelectric module (TEM) business into the automobile sector. Specific applications of Ferrotec-TEM technology include cooling and heating of batteries in electric and hybrid vehicles. The high-performance thermo-electric modules are custom designed devices meant to offer highly responsive temperature control to within 0.1°C. Thermoelectric modules consist of plate-like semiconductor Peltier effect devices where the passage of electric currents between two different metals sandwiching bismuth telluride semiconductor plates moves heat between the two junctions.

“Ferrotec has a 36% share of the global thermoelectric module market,” said Takayuki Hachida, General Manager of the thermoelectric module sales department. “We expect our thermoelectric modules to find wide ranging applications in the automobiles sector and are aiming to increase our annual sales from the current 5 billion JPY to 20 billion JPY within four years. Our thermoelectric modules show excellent coefficient of performance (COP). Importantly, our technology is applicable for both cooling and heating components in automobiles. Needless to say, we back up our technology with Ferrotec’s global network of technical support.”

Ferrotec claims to be the world’s largest manufacturer of bismuth telluride (Bi-Te) thermoelectric modules (TEM) (Peltier Effect devices). To date, the company’s TEM have mainly been used for cooling chillers, optical communications, biotechnology, air conditioners, and a wide range of consumer electronics. The company is starting to focus on applications of Ferrotec-thermoelectric modules in the automobile industry, in particular for electric and hybrid cars. Specific applications include cooling laser diodes in head-up displays in automobiles, cooling batteries of electric and hybrid cars, cool cup holders in car cabins, cooling laser devices in LiDAR technology in autonomous vehicles, and cooling laser diodes in laser head lights.