Peltier-based cloud chamber

Sevda Yeliz Nar, and Altan Cakir

Citation: AIP Conference Proceedings 1935, 180003 (2018); doi: 10.1063/1.5026019

View online: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5026019
View Table of Contents: http://aip.scitation.org/toc/apc/1935/1
Published by the American Institute of Physics

Articles you may be interested in

The thermoelectric properties of solid solutions (InTe)1-X(Cr2Te3)X
AIP Conference Proceedings 1935, 150005 (2018); 10.1063/1.5026011
 Peltier-Based Cloud Chamber
Sevda Yeliz Nara) and Altan Cakirb)
1
Dept. of Physics Eng., Faculty of Science and Letters, Istanbul Technical University
a)
Corresponding author: nar@itu.edu.tr
b)
altan.cakir@itu.edu.tr

Abstract. Particles produced by nuclear decay, cosmic radiation and reactions can be identified through various methods. One of
these methods that has been effective in the last century is the cloud chamber. The chamber makes visible cosmic particles that we
are exposed to radiation per second. Diffusion cloud chamber is a kind of cloud chamber that is cooled by dry ice. This traditional
model has some application difficulties. In this work, Peltier-based cloud chamber cooled by thermoelectric modules is studied.
The new model provided uniformly cooled base of the chamber, moreover, it has longer lifetime than the traditional chamber in
terms of observation time. This gain has reduced the costs which spent each time for cosmic particle observation. The chamber
is an easy-to-use system according to traditional diffusion cloud chamber. The new model is portable, easier to make, and can be
used in the nuclear physics experiments. In addition, it would be very useful to observe Muons which are the direct evidence for
Lorentz contraction and time expansion predicted by Einsteins special relativity principle.

INTRODUCTION
Cloud chamber is one of the earliest detectors, used for track and ionisation measurements. It is invented by Scottish
physicist Charles Thomson Rees Wilson.
A particle detector or a radiation detector is a device used to identify ionising particles. The particles are produced
by nuclear decay, cosmic radiation, or reactions in particle accelerators. Detectors provide information about the
particles.
Wilson started to improve expansion chambers to examine cloud formation and optical phenomena in moist air.
Discovery of ions which could act as centers for water droplet creation was made by Wilson in such chambers. The
first chamber was completed by Wilson. The chamber consists of a container filled with a gasvapour mixture at the
vapour saturation pressure. Working principle of the chamber is that the air sealed inside the chamber was saturated by
water vapor, then the air expands as adiabatic expansion by means of a diaphragm and becomes cooling; consequently,
water vapor becomes condense. If charged particle passes through the chamber, trace of the particle is visible by means
of ionisation in the vapor cloud [1]. To this day, ionization and scintillation detectors are still in use. Bubble chambers,
Streamer chambers, Neon-flash-tube chambers, Spark chambers and Drift chambers are the inventions that we use as
a base of modern detectors.[5]
Main development in this work is peltier as thermometric modules was used to create temperature difference.
Another development is the chamber design in favor of the modules. We cool one side of the peltier by applying
current. This cooled part gets used by the bottom part of the chamber. Other side of the peltier gets heated by the
cooled part, therefore we need to re-cool that part by a fan having airflow capability of 83.63 cubic feet per minute at
1900 revolutions per minute.
In the Following sections, instructions and running of the chamber, results and analysis of the chamber experi-
ments are examined.

HOW THE PELTIER-BASED CLOUD CHAMBER WORKS?

The required temperature difference has been reached within the chamber in about 5 minutes. Alcohol vapour that
falls down as droplets becomes supersaturated. This vapour then gets affected from cosmic radiation coming from the

Turkish Physical Society 33rd International Physics Congress (TPS33)

AIP Conf. Proc. 1935, 180003-1–180003-4; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5026019
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1627-7/$30.00

180003-1
outer space. Consequently, this radiation ionizes the vapour, and the alcohol molecules gets an electric polarisation.
Dense, white trails are observed along the path of the charged particles as a result of the electron transfer. The trails
belonging to the charged particles in cosmic radiation furthermore; the observation is occurred in active region up to
3 cm above the bottom.

Visible Particles in the Cloud Chamber

Electrons (or Positrons), beta particles, Muons (or anti-muons), muon decay, photo electron and Alpha particles (from
the decay of Radon) are visible particles in a cloud chamber. Compton scattering, beta deflection, photoelectric effect
are among the observable events [6].

Particle Identification
Different types of particles leave different trails based on their mass and charge. Slow or massive particles give more
ionisation so they have thicker tracks. Particles lose kinetic energy through ionising collisions, therefore their tracks
get thicker and more curved. Fast particles make a thin, curved path. Consequently; particle identification is made
according to following parameters; length, thickness, shape and brightness [6].
Alpha particles (from Radon gas in atmosphere) typically leave long, straight (approx. 5 cm) and thick paths.
Their range in air is determined by their initial kinetic energy, as the kinetic energy is lost in ionizing collisions with
atoms of the gases present. Other option of Alpha particles track that spat out of radon atoms are bulky and has low
energy, hence they leave short, fat tracks [6].
Muons create long, straight tracks similar to electrons’; a very thin track that goes straight. These are usually
high energy muons barreling through the detector. It is possible to observe a decay of muons into electrons by weak
interaction. This decay is clearly visible in the track propagation. A thicker muon track can suddenly and sharply
break, and becomes thinner; meaning that a muon has decayed and a thinner track of an electron is observed. The rest
of resulting particles muon neutrino and electron antineutrino is not charged and thus cannot be observed in a cloud
chamber [6,2].
Various thin, twisted or straight cloud tracks are formed by electrons. Length and shape of an electron track
depends on the energy of the incoming electron. High energy electrons form straight lines, electrons with lower
energy can easily change direction when colliding with molecules of isopropyl alcohol [6].

Structure and Function of Peltier Module

Peltier modules consists of two component of semiconductors. Bismuth Telluride semiconductor pellets are used
primarily. Bismuth Telluride has been heavily doped to create either an excess (N-type) or deficiency (P-type) of
electrons. While the P/N pellets are connected electrically in series, they are connected thermally in parallel. Platform
of the pellets consists of metalized ceramic surfaces. The surfaces ensure conductive tabs to provide connection of
pellets.
If DC voltage is applied to the peltier module, heat energy is absorbed from one substrate and is then transfered
to another substrate at the opposite side by means of positive and negative charge carriers in the pellet array. The side
where heat energy is absorbed becomes cold, the other side of the module where heat energy is released becomes hot.
If applied current direction is reversed, hot face and cold face of the module becomes reversed [4].

SETUP of PELTIER-BASED CLOUD CHAMBER

FIGURE 1. The setup was designed to be least influenced by external influences. The Peltier cooling system is positioned to
comfortably use the airflow.The setup consists of cloud chamber, peltier modules, cooling fans, power sources, light and camera.

180003-2
 RESULTS

Cooling Tests

TABLE 1. Tests to find the thermoelectric system that gives the minimum temperature for particle
observation. Temperature above -20◦ C is not put on the table.
PSU Top Mid PSU Botom Tcold
Top∗ Peltier Peltier Bottom† Peltier (◦ C) Connection
1 MT QC X X X -26 X
2 MT 12710 X X QC -28 parallel
3 MT 12710 X X X -20 X
4 Maksimel 12715 X MT QC -25 X
5 Maksimel 12710 X MT QC -28 X
6 CASECOM 12710 X MT QC -24 X
7 CASECOM 12710 X MT QC -26 X
8 Maksimel QC X X X -22 X
9 Maksimel 12710 X X QC -21 series
10 Maksimel QC X X 12710 -20 series
11 Maksimel 12710 X X QC -31 parallel
12 S-360W QC X X X -25 X
13 S-360W QC X X X -22 X
14 S-360W QC X S-360W 12710 -20 X
15 Maksimel 12715 X X 12710 -20 series
16 Maksimel 12710 X X X -20 X
∗
Power supply for top peltier and mid peltier
†
Power supply for bottom peltier
∗∗
MT(MT-12-150), Maksimel(Maksimel DC), S-360W(S-360W-12V-slim), QC(QC-127-
2.0-15.0M),12710(Tec1-12710), 12715(Tec1-12715)

Chamber Test

FIGURE 2. Photoelectron tracks are curly. their sources are beta emitters, photoelectric effects. High energy photons release them.

FIGURE 3. Muon and muon decay tracks which belong to fast particles with high kinetic energy, moreover; they ionise molecules
without scattering. Source of their is secondary cosmic particles.

CONCLUSION and OUTLOOK

Peltier-based cloud chamber in which cosmic particles become visible is shown in Fig. 2 and 3

180003-3
 Designing of the cooling system and testing of the system are first category for the peltier-based cloud chamber.
The important thing is that the copper chamber plate is sufficiently cooled to a minimum about -30◦ C for cosmic
particle analysis. Furthermore; the minimum value is provided with 11th row at the Table 1, 7,5V and 6A. Various
Peltier combinations were designed and performed. Results of the cooling tests can be seen in Table 1. Peltier combi-
nation at 11th row on Table 1, providing the minimum temperature was used for the chamber tests. As a result of the
performed tests, it is understood that number of peltiers must be more than one for the required minimum temperature.
In addition, it was observed that the thermal pasta and ambient temperature effects the minimum temperature. While
Effect of thermal pasta is 3◦ C, effect of ambient temperature is changeable according to its coldness.
Designing and testing the cylindrical cloud chamber for particle observation is the second category. Through cold
side of the top peltier is small, the smallest chamber plate, suitable for particle observation was used. For better heat
transfer, copper plate was used as the chamber plate. The cylindrical design selected for optimum observation. Several
obligations were observed during the chamber experiments. These obligations are; the cover of the chamber must be
closed so as not to leak air. Felt on the cover must be soaked with enough 92 % isopropyl alcohol. The 100 % alcohol
is best moreover; the chamber must be wrapped around with a black background except for the observation window,
and it must be placed on peltier modules that are sufficiently cooled. Metal bottom of the chamber is in excellent
contact with cold side of the peltier. Figure 2 and 3 are obtained as a result of applying these obligations.
If Figure 2 and 3 are examined according to the descriptions in Particle Identification subsection, obtaining the
tracks of muon, muon decays, photoelectrons can be seen. During the chamber experiment, tracks of muon, electron,
alpha, photoelectron and muon decay were observed and recorded repeatedly, although their brightness was low owing
to their energies.
Some difficulties were encountered throughout the chamber tests. One of the difficulties was that the selected
chamber plate was too thin. Thickness of the thin plate was then changed because of cooling. A thicker plate was used
for the bottom of the chamber. Another difficulty is that Plexy Glass was broken after cooling. New cloud chamber
was prepared as cold resistant. When the amount of used isopropyl alcohol was insufficient, the cloud in the chamber
was very weak. Size of the felt was enlarged for increasing to amount of used isopropyl alcohol. Aftre overcoming
the difficulties, various particle tracks were obtained.
The peltier module gave stable and uniform results. It created the cloud chamber which is an easy-to-use system.
Cosmic ray observed by means of peltier-based cloud chamber, cheaper and easier.
As a more advanced method, track recognition via artificial intelligence techniques can be studied as an under-
graduate project for the chamber.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Cenap Ozben and Prof. Dr. Omer Faruk Dayi for equipment support and contributions
during the research. We are also grateful to the TUBITAK for funding the research.

REFERENCES
[1] M. Longair, Astroparticle Physics 53, 55–60 (2014).
[2] LEPP, Cloud chambers and cosmic rays, (LEPP Education and Outreach).
[3] A. Donoghue, “Design and construction of thermal diffusion cloud chamber,” B.Sc. a senior project, California
Polytechnic State University 2010.
[4] CUI, Peltier application note, (Application note).
[5] C. Grupen and B. Shwartz, “Historical track detectors,” in Particle Detectors, edited by T. Ericson and P. Land-
shoff (Cambridge University Press, New York, 2008), pp. 160–170.
[6] J. Woithe, Cloud chamber, (Do-it-yourself manual 2016).

180003-4