Heat exchanger tube having integrated thermoelectric devices

• US 20080028769A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BSST LLC (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Inventors: Goenka, Lakhi Nandlal
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00328 of the liquid-air type
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00478 Air-conditioning devices using the Peltier effect for air-conditioning in general F24F5/0042; for refrigeration F25B21/02; electric devices exhibiting the Peltier effect H10N10/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00557 Details of ducts or cables
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/02 using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/05316 Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators F28D1/05366 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/16 the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/16 by applying an electrostatic field to the body of the heat-exchange medium
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49377 Tube with heat transfer means

Abstract

A heat exchanger for a vehicle is shown, wherein the heat exchanger includes a plurality of tubes having integrated thermoelectric devices disposed thereon to facilitate heat transfer between the tubes and an atmosphere surrounding the tubes.

Claims

1. A tube for a heat exchanger comprising:

a hollow conduit having a wall, a first end, and a spaced apart second end; and

a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the wall of the conduit to facilitate heat transfer between a first fluid in the conduit and a second fluid outside of the conduit.

2. The tube defined in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric device is disposed around the wall of the conduit.

3. The tube defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one heat exchanger fin in thermal communication with the thermoelectric device.

4. The tube defined in claim 3, wherein the at least one heat exchanger fin extends radially outwardly from an outer surface of the thermoelectric device.

5. The tube defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first end and the second end of the conduit is in fluid communication with at least one heat exchanger tank.

6. The tube defined in claim 1, wherein the first fluid is a liquid and the second fluid is a gas.

7. A heat exchanger comprising:

at least one heat exchanger tank;

a hollow tube having a wall, a first end, and a spaced apart second end, the tube in fluid communication with the at least one heat exchanger tank;

a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the wall of the tube; and

a heat exchanger fin in thermal communication with the thermoelectric device.

8. The heat exchanger defined in claim 7, wherein the thermoelectric device is disposed around the wall of the tube.

9. The heat exchanger defined in claim 7, wherein a first heat transfer surface of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the tube and a second heat transfer surface of the thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger fin.

10. The heat exchanger defined in claim 7, wherein the first fluid is a liquid and the second fluid is a gas.

11. The heat exchanger defined in claim 7, wherein the heat exchanger is a flat tube heat exchanger.

12. The heat exchanger defined in claim 7, wherein the heat exchanger is a cross flow heat exchanger.

13. The heat exchanger defined in claim 7, wherein the heat exchanger is a shell and tube heat exchanger.

14. The heat exchanger defined in claim 7, wherein the heat exchanger is a counter flow heat exchanger.

15. A heat exchanger comprising:

at least one heat exchanger tank;

a plurality of hollow tubes, each tube having a wall, a first end, and a spaced apart second end, the tubes in fluid communication with the at least one heat exchanger tank and adapted to convey a first fluid;

a plurality of heat exchanger fins disposed adjacent the tubes and in thermal communication with a second fluid; and

a plurality of thermoelectric devices, at least one thermoelectric device disposed between the tubes and the fins to facilitate heat transfer therebetween.

16. The heat exchanger defined in claim 15, wherein the thermoelectric devices are disposed around the walls of the tubes.

17. The heat exchanger defined in claim 15, wherein the fins extend radially outwardly from outer surfaces of the thermoelectric devices.

18. The heat exchanger defined in claim 15, wherein the first fluid is a liquid and the second fluid is a gas.

19. The heat exchanger defined in claim 15, wherein a first heat transfer surface of each thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with at least one of the tubes and a second heat transfer surface of each thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with at least one of the heat exchanger fins.

20. The heat exchanger defined in claim 15, wherein the heat exchanger tank is one of a flat tube heat exchanger, a cross flow heat exchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, and a counter flow heat exchanger.