Heat exchanger for an electronic heat pump

• US 20040068991A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hydrocool Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Hydrocool Pty Limited
• Inventors: Banney, Ben, Clarke, Peter Terence, Chandratilleke, Tilak T.
• Application Number:
  US10/637,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068991A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/045 with assemblies of stacked elements
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2260/02 having microchannels
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/12 Elements constructed in the shape of a hollow panel, e.g. with channels F28D1/02, F28D1/03 take precedence

Abstract

A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump including a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls. The channel heights are between 0 mm and 10 m to ensure thermal resistance is below 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchange width. The acceptable geometry for the channels is described by one or more variables, including the minimum number of channels and the minimum wall thickness for a given channel width. These variables control the surface area of the boundary of the channels in direct contact with the fluid and the cross-sectional area available for transmission of heat by conduction up the walls of the channels.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising:

a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;

a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;

a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;

a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;

wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end, and an outlet end, and;

wherein the minimum number of channels/meter N is defined by the approximation;

N=314*W−

13

2. A heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.

3. A heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1°

C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.

4. A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising:

a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;

a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;

a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;

a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;

wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;

wherein the minimum thickness M(mm) of each wall is defined by the approximation;

M=0.6*W−

0.3*W²

5. A heat exchanger according to claim 4 wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.

6. A heat exchanger according to claim 4 wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1°

C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.

7. A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising:

a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;

a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;

a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;

a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;

wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end,

wherein the minimum number of channels/meter N is defined by the approximation;

N=314*W−

13, and;

 

wherein the minimum thickness M(mm) of each wall is defined by the approximation;

M=0.6*W−

0.3*W²

8. A heat exchanger according to claim 7 wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.

9. A heat exchanger according to claim 7 wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1°

C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.

10. A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising:

a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;

a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;

a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;

a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;

wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;

wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum number (N) of channels per meter are within the following ranges;

WN0.05 

250.1 

250.2 

550.3 

800.41100.51450.61700.72001.0310

11. A heat exchanger according to claim 10 wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.

12. A heat exchanger according to claim 10 wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1°

C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.

13. A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising:

a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;

a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;

a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;

a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;

wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;

wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum wall thickness T(mm) are within the following ranges;

WT0.050.0250.10.0250.20.050.30.100.40.150.50.1750.60.200.70.2351.00.25

14. A heat exchanger according to claim 13 wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.

15. A heat exchanger according to claim 13 wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1°

C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.

16. A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump, said heat exchanger comprising:

a thermally conductive base having a first surface and a second surface, said first surface being adapted to make intimate surface contact with a surface of said electronic heat pump;

a thermally conductive cover spaced from said base;

a plurality of thermally conductive walls of thickness T between said base and said cover;

a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls, said base and said cover through which a heat transfer liquid flows when said heat exchanger is in use;

wherein each narrow channel has a width W, an inlet end and an outlet end, and;

wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum wall thickness T(mm) are within the following ranges;

WT0.050.0250.10.0250.20.050.30.100.40.150.50.1750.60.200.70.2351.00.25

 

and wherein the channel width W(mm) and the minimum number (N) of channels per meter are within the following ranges;

WN0.05 

250.1 

250.2 

550.3 

800.41100.51450.61700.72001.0310

17. A heat exchanger according to claim 16 wherein the height of each narrow channel is less than about 10 mm.

18. A heat exchanger according to claim 16 wherein the thermal resistance of said heat exchanger is less than 0.1°

C./W for a 40 mm heat exchanger width.