A Thermoelectric Temperature Control Module for a Portable Fluorescent Sensing Platform

Abstract

Fluorescent portable monitoring systems provide real-time and on-site analysis of a sample solution, avoiding transportation delays and solution degradation. However, some applications, such as environmental monitoring of bodies of water with algae pollution, rely on the temperature control that off-site systems provide for adequate solution results. The goal of this research is the development of a temperature stabilization module for a portable fluorescent sensing platform, which is necessary to prevent inaccurate results. Using a Peltier device-based system, the module heats/cools a solution through digital-to-analog control of the current, using three surface-mounted temperature modules attached to a copper cuvette holder, which is directly attached to the Peltier device. This system utilizes an in-house algorithm for control, which effectively minimizes temperature overshooting when a change is enacted. Finally, with the use of a sample fluorescent dye, Rhodamine B, the system’s controllability is highlighted through the monitoring of Rhodamine B’s fluorescence emission decrease as the solution temperature increases.