Building a Peltier cooler-based cloud chamber - A simple construction from a scientist

In this video, I show you how to build a simple, Peltier cooler-based cloud chamber to show the presence of ionizing particles. I specifically address the most important part of the chamber, which is the cooler because many people seem to misunderstand how to use Peltier coolers.

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[WaffleStaffel]

Excellent explanation of how Peltier coolers work. I saw a guy make a compressor based cloud chamber. It was very neat, but beyond most people's grasp. This is very accessible. Thanks for sharing!

[BushCampingTools]

Great video, as a fellow scientist, you have another subscriber. Plus u are right what you say about the many who are demonstrating building cloud chambers, many leave out the necessary maths in order to make these things perform properly.

[cyboticIndustries]

Awesome project - Making one with my daughter. We _just about_ got this working.. but ours is a bit feeble - just one or two trails 😂 A few questions you may be able to help we with please...
- Should the bottom ideally be airtight - where the base intersects the peltier? where the acrylic box intersects the base?
- The top for yours looks like it has a lid? is this so? is it needed ?
- How much alcohol to put in the sponge at the top? we try adding some by syringe, but sometimes add too much and it drips down - will that ruin it?
- Is it possible that our sources are weak? taken from old smoke detectors - if they are past their lifetime might the source be weak?

Sorry for so many questions!

[AgneyaKulkarni]

How long are the screws you used? Can you provide a link for it? Thanks.

[fizzyplazmuh]

Why did you not put thermal paste under the piece of glove?

[ddlow]

Why do you turn on the bottom cooler first? Is there a safety concern?

[ag]

Hi there, I want to increase the surface area of the cooling side so I can see the trails in a larger surface area. Also it is difficult to see inside the chamber due to the small size of the chamber.

What would be the max surface area size you think I can do? Would 8cmX8cm work? Could I go larger?

I am using one TEC 2 module so it should be more powerful than these.

[gabqqi]

Hi! I would like to know how could you provide 90W for the bottom Peltier?
Did you use a especific power supply?
And why did you use a dc-dc converter?

[TrueBlueKangaroo]

I've embarked in replicating this. The most trouble I'm having is with the stupid acrylic sheets. Any advice?

[golzaye]

I have a question: rather than using a high quality heatsink which is likely to be quite expensive, would stacking the modules you described above and the place a smaller heatsink at the bottom that is submerged in frozen ice pack gel (can reach temperatures like -30 to my knowledge) work as a sufficient replacement for the heat dissipation system?

[RealName_Online]

Hi, this is a very helpful video. I am trying to build this chamber for a school project. Is it reusable for multiple sessions? Also, what low radiation samples (minerals or other materials) could I use where one is a strong alpha emitter and one is a strong beta emitter? This is because I want to see if I can identify betas and alphas based on how they deflect near a magnet combined with their track shapes. Thanks!

[long-dk]

I've watched a lot of your videos and I love them. But I still can't settle my mind on which peltier model should I use to make a single stage drink chiller/ or a personal ac (for use outdoor of course). Can you please recommend a peltier model for my use case? And also, is the TEC12708 the most efficient?

[marshallmann]

could it be made rainbow do you think?? or maybe useing addresable leds?

[wendigo]

Is it possible to build the same but liquid cooled?

[PraveenDesaa]

if the top Peltier is running at 7v and 1.88 amps , its total power generated is 13.16 watts, of which considering 30% efficiency will be converted to cooling, ie about 4 watts . the bottom Peltier's load is this 13.16 watts only, where did the additional 7watts come ?

[poggerschampion]

Mine is having an issue. The alcohol just condenses at the bottom and nothing happens. My bottom peltier is a 12715 running at 12V and the top one is a 12712 running at 6V. My chamber is a 60mm diameter copper plate above the peltiers, with a plastic tube thats about 6" tall and 60mm in diameter as well and sits on top of the copper plate. I let the peltiers run for awhile, frost forms all around the plate, yet inside the chamber nothing happens and a liquid forms at the bottom. If I put something warm on the top of the chamber, also nothing happens and the liquid once again forms but no saturation occuring. I don't really know what is going wrong, and I am unsure what to do from here. The only thing I can thing that is potentially happening is the liquid on the bottom is infact just condensed water from the 91% isopropyl and it is not infact alcohol, but even if it is just water, no saturation is happening.

[lakshyamishra]

hey bro can i use 12705 with 12710. I have two 12v 5a smps one is variable and one is fixed also i have the 300W dc to dc buck converter

[MrGarthboy]

I'm not trying to be rude, just help you pronounce the word parameter better its like (pah ram-iter), also I kind of get the basics of this in feeling but I like to keep most of it unknown until I have a reason to know it, and would like to ask you if you have ever looked up aerogel and starlight, I think aerogel may also nullify the transfer of cold at all compared to starlight, which is like glue and baking soda or something and only a heat insulator falls apart made from cheap supplies, but the gel should possibly disapate almost completely the transfer, so you would likely have to incorporate it in the inside in order to get more amazing results, but I'd like to hear your feedback.

[Barcd]

Like your vids! You sound a lot like me and also curious in the same things, it's creepy actually :D

[ajaysamanta-jgnf]

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