Peltier Cloud Chamber

Description

This cloud chamber is based on a standard dual-tower CPU cooler and a TEC2-25408 Peltier cooler. The Peltier cools down the 10 x 10 cm copper plate on top to less than -30°C so that the Isopropyl alcohol evaporating above condenses at the base, creating a thin fog layer. Ionizing radiation can then fly through this alcohol vapor and with some luck create a visible cloudy trace.

Trace thickness and length depends on the type of radiation: thin and long traces come from beta radiation and thicker as well as shorter traces are a sign of alpha particles.

Components

1 × TEC2-25408

1 × Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 CPU cooler

1 × 100 x 100 x 2mm copper plate

1 × Bell jar or glas cylinder

1 × Sheet of acrylic

Project Logs

Collapse

New Video (more action!)
NuclearPhoenix • 01/05/2024 at 18:22 • 0 comments

I tried the cloud chamber with a small piece of thorianite today, look for yourself:
Improved Cloud Chamber
NuclearPhoenix • 08/06/2023 at 14:57 • 0 comments

Here's a small update, I stuck a little more PE tape to the glass around the LEDs so that the light doesn't dazzle so much. I also stapled a few resistors between the two layers of felt and attached them to the 12 volt rail of the power supply. This definitely allows you to see a lot more (especially on camera) now, so thanks for all the suggestions!

What is still missing is an extraction voltage of a couple hundred to maybe a thousand volts to extract all the extra electrons that are left over after the ionisation. That'll definitely help with visibility/contrast of the traces and how long it takes for them to clear up again. But I don't know if I'll do that yet. For this I would have to build a large frame inside the glass jar and get an high-voltage PSU module.

View all 2 project logs

Build Instructions

Collapse

Mount Peltier to cooler

Put some thermal paste on the CPU cooler, where the processor would normally sit. Then mount the Peltier module onto it, so that most of the area is covered.

Prepare the copper plate

Cut the copper plate into a size of around 10 x 10 centimeters. Then drill four holes into the copper that match the location for the mounting screws of the CPU cooler mount.

Insulate the copper

Put some PE insulation tape on the bottom of the copper plate around the location where the peltier element will sit.

Discussions

j wrote 08/04/2023 at 08:55

What a wonderful detector! It looks like a very clean build.

If you cover the LEDs from the top, so they shine only in the middle, your eyes (and camera) sees more contrast of the traces. If you need even more light i used a strong laser (green) as line laser (shining it sideways through a LED)

best wishes, j

Are you sure? yes | no

NuclearPhoenix wrote 08/04/2023 at 09:20

Hi there, that's a really good suggestion actually! Don't know why I didn't think of that, so... thanks! :D

Are you sure? yes | no

Peltier Cloud Chamber

Become a Hackaday.io member

Just one more thing

Description

Details

Components

Project Logs Collapse

New Video (more action!)

Improved Cloud Chamber

Build Instructions Collapse

Enjoy this project?

Discussions

Become a Hackaday.io Member

Does this project spark your interest?

Report project as inappropriate

Send message

Remove Member

Project Logs

Collapse

Build Instructions

Collapse