THERMOELECTRIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL WITH CONVECTIVE AIR FLOW FOR COOLING ELEVATOR COMPONENTS
First Claim
1. A temperature control system for an elevator system, the temperature control system comprising:
- an air funnel positioned to collect a natural convective airflow;
a separator for dividing the airflow into a first flow path and a second flow path;
a thermoelectric device having a cooling surface positioned in the first flow path and a heating surface positioned in the second flow path;
an elevator system component positioned in one of the first and second flow paths; and
an exhaust duct connected to upper ends of the first and second flow paths.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Components of an elevator system are cooled using natural convective airflow in conjunction with thermoelectric heating and cooling. Rising air within the hoistway is funneled into a cold air duct (20) and a warm air duct (22). As air flows vertically upward through the cool air duct (20) and the warm air duct (22), a thermoelectric module (14) cools air in the cool air duct (20) and heats air in the warm air duct (22). The cool air stream in the cool air duct (20) is circulated past the elevator component (12), and is drawn upward into a common exhaust duct (28) by the faster flowing warm air stream in the warm air duct (22).
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A temperature control system for an elevator system, the temperature control system comprising:
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an air funnel positioned to collect a natural convective airflow; a separator for dividing the airflow into a first flow path and a second flow path; a thermoelectric device having a cooling surface positioned in the first flow path and a heating surface positioned in the second flow path; an elevator system component positioned in one of the first and second flow paths; and an exhaust duct connected to upper ends of the first and second flow paths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16)
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11. A temperature control system for an elevator system, the temperature control comprising:
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a warm air duct having an inlet at a lower end and an outlet at an upper end; a cool air duct having an inlet at a lower end and an outlet at an upper end; a thermoelectric device positioned to heat air in the warm air duct and to cool air in the cool air duct; and an elevator component positioned to be cooled by the thermoelectric device; wherein the outlet of the cool air duct is positioned with respect to the outlet of the warm air duct so that air flowing out of the warm air duct draws air upward through the cool air duct. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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17. A method of cooling an elevator component, the method comprising:
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collecting upward flowing air in a hoistway; directing portions of the upward flowing air into a cool air duct and a warm air duct; cooling air flowing through the cool air duct with a thermoelectric device; and cooling the elevator component with air flowing through the cool air duct. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification